http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-12160124

I really hope there’s more to this story than is being printed, because as it stands, it does seem pretty depressing.

I am kind of disappointed he wasn’t teaching them to be more abusive when playing cricket.

Maybe he was being ‘managed’ out & this happened to be a convenient vehicle [‘scuse the pun] to facilitate his departure?

Otherwise, it could indeed be depressing

Hey op Why dont you read the **** article properly?

It states quite clearly at the bottom that he was cleared of any h&s charges!!!!!

Nowt to do with health and safety, what a waste of bandwidth, time and energy.

Would you like some help untwisting those knickers?

When I first read about this story, I agreed with the OP. However, it turned out that the headteacher had issued instructions to all staff not to go out on the snow covered hill due to concerns about pupils or staff being injured. The teacher decided to ignore this instruction, ignore warnings from other teachers, and then lied to the headteacher about his actions.

Would you like some help untwisting those knickers?

Just be sure to do a risk assessment first.

Maybe you shouldn’t take pupils out of school without following some sort of protocol. Let’s say, for example, that one of them falls and breaks a leg, or gets run over and ends up in a wheelchair – what happens if a parent sues the school? I would imagine the school has some fairly stringent rules about this and a teacher breaking school rules opens themself up to disciplinary action.
Then again, maybe “Teacher gets sacked for clear breach of rules” isn’t as entertainig as some handwringing “health and safety gone mad” daily mailisms. Shame we live in such a sue-happy culture.

🙂

Wibble.

Our kids primary school has sledges for the kids. It was shut twice through out the rally bar weather, they carried on as why close because it’s bit cold.

Yossarian –

He was dismissed for failing to follow the school’s health and safety policy.
He was reprimanded by the professional conduct committee, who found four charges proven.
..found him guilty of four out of nine charges.
He was cleared of five charges

So, did you just read the bottom?

Would you like some help untwisting those knickers?

Is that an offer?

Anyways yes it pisses me off when journos are lazy.

What’s happened here is fairly straightforward. The teacher has decided to avoid asking permission to do something, got caught and then lied about it. potential h & s issues have been investigated and dismissed as part of the disciplinary process.

I work in education (as a h & s advisor suprise suprise) and routinely investigate health and safety aspects of gross misconduct proceedings.

I reckon the teacher was probably already on a sticky wicket prior to all this and lying to your boss is never a good idea.

DesB

Let me help you with your quote:

The GTC’s professional conduct committee hearing in Cardiff found him guilty of four out of nine charges: That he allowed pupils to go sledging, didn’t have head teacher’s permission, ignored cautionary words of warning from colleagues and denied the allegation when questioned by the head.

It has retired to consider what sanction to bring against him.

He was cleared of five charges, including that there was no risk assement, there was no parental consent and health and safety guidelines were not followed.

Could it actually be any clearer? The bit about not following the school’s h & s policy is likely to relate to the school’s position on ensuring that teachers have permission before undertaking activities – probably not a bad idea….

Yozzarian – you said Nowt to do with health and safety

the article said

He was dismissed for failing to follow the school’s health and safety policy

Yes. It could be clearer!

I agree with salad dodgers sumation

There does seem to be some “H&S madness” aspect to this:

He agreed [with the committee] that neither of the pupils involved had worn protective masks but said he did not believe they were necessary.
…
Because riders sit upright on the sledge he did not think knee or elbow pads were necessary either.

Helmets, knee and elbow pads to go sledging on snow-covered grass?? FFS.