There have been calls for educators to have criminal checks done after revelations a Wellington art school boss didn't know one of his tutors is a mass killer.

Stephen Anderson was found not guilty by reason of insanity of killing six people in Raurimu in 1997.

He now teaches at Inverlochy Art School.

Independent Tertiary Education New Zealand chair, Christine Clark, says the Qualifications Authority is talking about getting education providers to do criminal checks on staff.

She doesn't believe they'd accept staff with histories of personal violence, fraud, or anything that could put students at risk.