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Teacher 'guilty of incompetency' Teacher guilty of 'incompetence'
(about 1 hour later)
A primary school teacher has pled guilty to charges of serious professional incompetence. A teacher has pled guilty to charges of serious professional incompetence.
Susan Barnard could become the first teacher in Scotland to be struck off the register of the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS). Susan Barnard faces being struck off by the General Teaching Council Scotland after admitting failing to manage pupil behaviour and plan lessons.
Ms Barnard, who worked at Coupar Angus primary school, Comrie and Arngask primaries, has already been dismissed by Perth and Kinross Council. Perth and Kinross Council sacked the 55-year-old amid concerns about her performance at Coupar Angus, Comrie and Arngask primaries between 2003-2006.
Her lawyer said she was doing supply work for another council and hoped to keep her teaching registration.
Andrew Gibb said: "Clearly she's extremely concerned about what the future holds for her."
He said she hoped to present compelling evidence in mitigation, which will enable her to keep her registration.
Struck off
Robbie Burnett, lawyer for the regulatory body GTCS , told the committee on Friday 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.Removal from the register prevents teachers from taking jobs elsewhere.
A hearing into her case held on Friday morning has been adjourned until December. 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.
Until now teachers have only been struck off for serious misconduct, but a law change two years ago enabled the regulatory body, the GTCS, to take action for incompetence. But a change in legislation in 2006 allowed the profession's regulator to hold disciplinary hearings on incompetence.
'Competency difficulties'
Gordon Smith, from the Association of Headteachers and Deputies, called for more cases to be brought forward.Gordon Smith, from the Association of Headteachers and Deputies, called for more cases to be brought forward.
He 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.He 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.
'Competency difficulties'
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.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% had competency difficulties, so for this to be the first case to come forward is surprising for everyone."If you were an employer with nearly 50,000 staff, you would probably assume that 1-1.5% 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." "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."
Teachers have only been struck off the register in Scotland after being found guilty of 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.
In England, about 10 teachers a year are charged with alleged incompetence by the GTC.In England, about 10 teachers a year are charged with alleged incompetence by the GTC.