By Staff Reporter

Last updated at 12:06, Tuesday, 14 August 2012

A former teacher at a Whitehaven school for children with special needs has been permanently banned from the classroom for handling pupils in an “inappropriate and aggressive manner”.

Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove issued a Prohibition Order banning Amanda Bruce from the profession, on the recommendation of a Teaching Agency disciplinary panel.

The decision was issued on his behalf by Teaching Agency deputy director Alan Meyrick on July 19, but it has only just made available.

The ruling says that Mrs Bruce was guilty of “unacceptable professional conduct” while she was employed as a teacher at Mayfield School, Hensingham, Whitehaven, between January 1, 2003 and December 3, 2009.

The panel found that she repeatedly mistreated vulnerable pupils. The incidents included her:

• Dragging one pupil, Pupil A, by the arm and throwing him, pushing him and shouting at him in November 2008;
• Handling the same boy so that he fell over a chair, pushing him to the ground, grabbing him by his clothes, and physically removing him from the classroom;
• Shouting at a second pupil, Pupil B, in November 2008, throwing or kicking the child’s clothes at her, as well as dragging her and throwing a shoe towards her;
• Dragging Pupil B across the ground while she was wearing no clothes, and throwing the child’s clothes at her, shouting at her to get dressed, and forcibly dressing her;
• Shouting at and pushing a third pupil, Pupil C;
• Dragging a fourth child, Pupil D, across the floor, throwing her into furniture, holding her down by her head, and picking her up by her belt.

Mr Meyrick said: “It is clear that Mrs Bruce’s conduct amounts to a serious departure from the standards expected of a teacher.

“The behaviours were exhibited frequently, repeatedly and often against vulnerable pupils.

“The panel also identified that her behaviour was a serious abuse of trust.

“I have therefore considered carefully the panel’s findings and its recommendation. Such serious departures from the standards, in my view, justify prohibition and I support the recommendation of the panel.”

Refusing to give her the opportunity to apply to be restored to the register in the future, he added: “In considering whether a review period should apply I have taken into account in particular the very serious nature of this misconduct and the fact that it was targeted at vulnerable pupils and was repeated.

“I therefore support the recommendation that there be no review period.”

The decision means she is indefinitely prohibited from teaching in any school, sixth-form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.

She has a right of appeal to the High Court.

The school’s website explains that it caters for 98 pupils, aged three to 19, with severe or complex or profound learning disabilities. Pupils come from a wide area stretching from Maryport in the north to Seascale in the south and across to Cockermouth in the east.

First published at 11:28, Tuesday, 14 August 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk