The General Teaching Council for England has told the NASUWT to stop making unfounded allegations.

But it says one - an alleged misuse of public funds - is so serious it has referred the matter to its lawyers.

Earlier the union published a survey suggesting its members did not support the teaching council.

'Little favour'

The general secretary of the NASUWT (National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers), Chris Keates, said nearly 7,000 teachers had responded to its survey in a week.

Among the findings, 88% said they did not support the work of the GTC.

"It is absolutely clear from the responses that the manner in which the GTC interprets its remit finds little favour," Ms Keates said.

"It is also evident that teachers would not countenance an increase in the registration fee in order to facilitate more of the same.

"There is no evidence to suggest that it is valued or adds value."

She said the council should concentrate on its regulatory function, rather than "endlessly pursuing topics and activities which apparently make little impact on the profession".

She added: "The GTC has accused NASUWT of being hostile towards it. Compared with the responses from teachers our comments would fall into the category of glowing testimony."

Remit

The GTC said in a statement that it had written urging the union to desist from making unfounded allegations.

"In a recent press release the NASUWT claimed that some of the GTC's activities are a misuse of public funds. This allegation is so serious that the GTC has engaged its lawyers to act for the council in challenging the NASUWT position."

The union had "consistently misunderstood or misrepresented the GTC's remit", which was to register and regulate the teaching profession and to advise on standards of teaching and learning in the public interest.

The GTC said it had been commended in a recent, independent Audit Commission review - which had warned "of the damaging effects of persistent public criticism of the council by one union".

'Leading questions'

It was not willing to have the lawful pursuit of its statutory remit persistently misrepresented and its reputation undermined by partial and inaccurate accounts of its activity, it went on.

The council said the latest online survey was "spurious and seriously flawed".

"The questionnaire poses a series of leading questions, often based on inaccurate or partial claims about the GTC, and designed to lead respondents to register a hostile opinion of the work of the council," it said.

It appeared to contain no mechanism for ensuring respondents were bona fide NASUWT members or to prevent people from submitting multiple replies.

The GTC's chief executive, Carol Adams, urged the NASUWT to change course immediately in the interests of the teaching profession and the wider public.

Ms Keates responded: "We have passed all the GTC correspondence to our lawyers and they will be responding in due course.

"We are not unduly worried."