FORMER Lymm High School Principal Angela Walsh has been banned from teaching indefinitely after being judged to have been “dishonest”.
The decision was taken by a the National College for Teaching and Leadership following a professional conduct panel hearing on behalf of the secretary of state held in Coventry on April 20.
The panel members were Mr Peter Cooper (teacher panellist – in the chair), Ms Sheba Joseph (teacher panellist) and Ms Jean Carter (lay panellist).
It was alleged that Miss Walsh was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and/or
conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute in that:
1. While employed as headteacher/principal during 2008 – 2013 at Lymm High School, Cheshire (“the School”), she:
a. Authorised a re-grade for Witness D without authorisation of the governing body;
b. Provided misleading information to the governing body in relation to staff turnover on 16 May 2013 and/or 12 June 2013;
c. Failed to conduct performance management appraisal(s) for one or more members of her leadership team in accordance with the Education (Schools Teachers Appraisals) (England) Regulations 2012;
d. In relation to the performance management appraisal(s) referred to at 1.c. above she incorrectly reported to the governing body that the appraisal(s) had been undertaken;
e. Wrote a mortgage salary reference for herself using the chair of governors electronic signature without his permission;
f. Was absent from the School without authorisation during term time;
g. When questioned about 1e above she did not provide an accurate response.
2. By her actions set out at 1a and/or 1b and/or 1d and/or 1e and/or 1g she was dishonest.
Miss Walsh admitted allegation 1f. All others were denied, except for allegation 1g as amended, which was not admitted.
Miss Walsh did not admit unacceptable professional conduct and/or conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute.
But the panel concluded that Miss Walsh:
* Failed to demonstrate consistently high standards of personal and professional conduct.
*Failed to have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school in which she taught, and on one occasion, to maintain high standards in her own attendance.
*Failed to have an understanding of, and always act within, the statutory
frameworks which set out her professional duties and responsibilities.
The panel found that she behaved dishonestly in two different sets of circumstances.
Her dishonest conduct was not isolated, but was repeated, and it spanned a period of a year. She also demonstrated serious disregard for the frameworks in place around teacher performance management and remuneration, which was of particular concern given her role as a headteacher.
Decision maker Jayne Millions said:” The panel is satisfied that the conduct of Miss Walsh represented a serious departure from the personal and professional conduct elements of the Teachers’ Standards. Miss
Walsh was in a unique and privileged position as a headteacher, and should have modelled exemplary standards. The panel found she behaved dishonestly in two different sets of circumstances, and that her dishonest conduct was not isolated, but repeated and it spanned a period of a year.”
The controversial Principal resigned from the school in April 2014 more than nine months after she was suspended by the school governors pending investigations into a number of issues.
Miss Walsh now aged 57, (pictured) joined the school in September 2008 and hit the headlines within 12 months following the introduction of a controversial new school uniform policy, with pupils staging sit down protests and outrage from parents.
At the time of her suspension Staff morale had been low for some time, with significant numbers choosing to leave.
Following the result of the hearing, the most serious sanction which can be imposed on a teacher, Kieran Walshe, the chair of Lymm High School’s governing body, said: “We are glad to see these matters, which date from 2012-13, brought to a proper conclusion and we welcome the decision of the Secretary of State.
“We would like to thank everyone – staff, governors, parents, students and the wider community – who has worked so hard over the last three years to move on from those very difficult times.
“Under the leadership of Gwyn Williams as headteacher, the school is now progressing well, securing the best examination results in Warrington last year and having a renewed sense of its purpose and place in the community.
“We had many more applications for Year 7 in September 2016 than we had places, though we are pleased to say that we have still accommodated all applications from children at our partner primary schools. But there is still much more to do, and the governors and headteacher believe that our very able and well-motivated students are capable of even greater things in the future.”
Full details of the hearing can be read here CLICK HERE
