'˜Boring' teacher struck off after complaints from parents

A TEACHER whose English lessons were described by her pupils as 'boring' and 'always the same thing' has been struck off the teaching register following complaints.

Gillian Scott, who taught at Breadalbane Academy in Aberfeldy, Perthshire, was struck off for a catalogue of professional failings including complaints from parents their children were not “pushed, stretched or motivated”.

Miss Scott claimed that she had been bullied.

A Fitness to Teach Panel of the General Teaching Council for Scotland concluded that Miss Scott failed to maintain its standard for full registration between December 2010 and March 2013.

In one class, observed by David Macluskey, the school’s principal teacher of English, junior classes were set the same essay entitled What I did in Activities Week. The lesson plan for S2, S3 and S4 classes three months later involved pupils writing about what they had done over the summer holidays.

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Mr Macluskey described in his evidence that he was “horrified” at “how bad” one lesson had been.

The hearing was told her S2 class was “out of control on various occasions and pupils were shouting out, throwing objects and throwing chairs”.

Miss Scott did not attend the hearing and was represented by her father James Scott.

Mr Scott said his daughter was the victim of a “sustained campaign of bullying and harassment” by her colleagues and Perth and Kinross Council following a complaint made by her and other colleagues.

The panel said Miss Scott was given “enormous” support, including another teacher taking on her classes and mentoring, but that she “would not accept advice from anybody” and that she thought that “certain people were out to get her”.

In its summing up, the hearing noted: “It was also a general criticism by the witnesses that there was a lack of reflection on the respondent’s part and that she did not recognise the existence of any deficiencies in her practice.

“Certainly, there was no evidence of any attempt by the respondent to remediate the shortcomings in her practice.”

“The panel took account of all the matters raised in mitigation, including the respondent’s ill-health, her personal life and the difficulties she experienced living and working in Aberfeldy.

“However, none of these explained what appeared to be fundamental attitudinal problems to the basic requirements of a registered teacher.”

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