Bottom of the class teacher faces sack

Susan Barnard, 55, is the first teacher to appear before the General Teaching Council(GTCS) for Scotland since laws were changed in 2006.[>

[>

The new legislation, brought in after education experts warned poor teachers were being allowed to continue in their jobs, allows them to be investigated and banned from teaching if found to be incompetent.[>

[>

But teaching experts have already criticised the new system, claiming too few cases are being brought against poor teachers failing their pupils.[>

[>

Yesterday, at a hearing in Edinburgh, Ms Barnard pled guilty to three charges of serious professional incompetence. [>

[>

She faces being struck off after admitting failing to manage pupil behaviour, communicate with pupils and plan lessons. [>

[>

It also emerged yesterday that one other incompetency case was due to be heard later this year, and further two cases were being investigated.[>

[>

Gordon Smith, from the Association of Headteachers and Deputies, said that until now, if a teacher was deemed incompetent, they were merely moved to another school because of the “complex and sometimes Byzantine” process of bringing a case against them.[>

[>

But even with the new legislation, Mr Smith warned more cases needed to be brought forward to prevent hundreds of children’s education being “ruined”.[>

[>

He said: “I wouldn’t wish this on anyone but we have to realise this is an issue in Scottish education that perhaps we’ve ignored.[>

 [>

“If you were an employer with nearly 50,000 staff, you would probably assume that 1-1.5 per cent had competency difficulties, so for this to be the first case to come forward is surprising for everyone. [>

[>

“Imagine it was your child that was in that class and a teacher with 10 years’ experience will have perhaps ruined the education of 300 children.” [>

[>

Perth and Kinross Council sacked the primary school teacher amid concerns about her performance at Coupar Angus, Comrie and Arngask primaries between 2003 and 2006. [>

[>

Her lawyer Andrew Gibb said she was doing supply work for another council and hoped to keep her teaching registration. [>

[>

Mr Gibb said: “Clearly she’s extremely concerned about what the future holds for her.[>

[>

“Mrs Barnard has been treated very fairly by Perth and Kinross council and the GTCS and she hopes to keep her registration.[>

[>

“She has been doing supply work in another area and hopes to continue with her career if she retains her registration.”[>

[>

He said she hoped to present compelling evidence in mitigation, which will enable her to keep her registration.[>

[>

As she left the hearing, she bowed her head and refused to make any comment.[>

[>

Robbie Burnett, lawyer for the regulatory body GTCS , told the committee yesterday that “despite significant management support over an extended period of time to address areas of concern”, Ms Barnard had failed to meet the standards required in her performance. [>

[>

A hearing on 3 December will determine whether she will be the first teacher in Scotland to be struck off for incompetence. [>

Removal from the register prevents teachers from taking jobs elsewhere. [>

[>

Until now teachers have only been struck off for serious misconduct, for behaviour such as siphoning off school funds or forming an inappropriate relationship with a pupil. [>

[>

But a change in legislation in 2006 allowed the profession’s regulator to hold disciplinary hearings on incompetence.[>

[>

Critics claim the system still fails pupils, as only local authorities can brings cases of incompetency before the GTCS.[>

[>

In England, about 10 teachers a year are charged with alleged incompetence by the General Teaching Council.[>