A former Ipswich headteacher has been found guilty of professional misconduct after installing locks on doors to "calming rooms" for pupils with learning difficulties.
A teacher misconduct hearing resumed last week after concerns were previously raised about Odran Doran and Simon Black's leadership at The Bridge School in Ipswich.
In 2017, safeguarding concerns related to the use of a classroom locking system were raised by Ofsted officers towards the pair after the school’s “good” rating slid to “inadequate” amid further staff suspensions.
The Bridge School, which caters for around 150 pupils with learning difficulties, had a number of calming rooms that, at the time of inspection, were provided with door locks.
At the hearing on March 8, Mr Doran was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that might bring the profession into disrepute by restricting the movement of one or more pupils by locks and instructing one or more pupils be detained in circumstances when it was not appropriate.
Mr Doran had denied the allegations.
Mr Black was also found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that might bring the profession into disrepute as he rolled and pushed a student from a corridor into a soft playroom and then locked the door.
However he was found not guilty of an allegation that he had disregarded instructions to remove the locks.
The panel said it would make a recommendation about prohibiting the pair from teaching to the Home Secretary and the final decision would be sent to both of them privately.
Mr Doran gave a final statement before the end of the hearing and has previously defended the calming rooms.
He said: “For almost all of my career as a headteacher in special education my single goal was to make a difference to the lives of the children I worked with and their families.
“All I ever wanted to do was to fulfil their potential in what ever way was appropriate for each individual child. It was my privilege to be the headteacher of the Bridge School.
“I would never have done anything which I believed would betray the trust the parents placed in me, and I can’t thank them enough for all the support they have offered me during my time as headteacher and during this hearing.
“The children it was my pleasure to work with for over 35 years are among the most vulnerable in society and I would never intentionally have done anything that would hurt or demean them. If it is perceived I have fallen short of that goal then I apologise.
“I had nothing but the best interest of the children at heart. I am proud to have been a teacher for over 35 years.
“I would ask the panel to allow me to remain registered as a teacher and to continue to feel proud of this.”
The tribunal heard that the use of locks is only acceptable under circumstances where a court order is used or in an emergency situation.
The tribunal heard of previous evidence given by a teaching assistant who described how Mr Black had been dripping with sweat in his effort to push and roll a student exhibiting “challenging behaviour”, codenamed Pupil L, down a corridor into the soft play room
The door was then shut and bolted and the assistant sat outside until Pupil L had calmed down.
However pushing and rolling was not part of Pupil L’s official support plan.
In mitigation for Mr Black the tribunal heard this was an incident that lasted less than 30 minutes as part of an otherwise “exemplary” career.
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