A former British head teacher who called children names and made other abusive comments on the job has avoided being banned from teaching.
Nicola Brogan was the head of Woodland Community Primary School in Heywood, Greater Manchester for eight years, where she made derogatory comments toward students, staff and a parent, according to the BBC and The Manchester Evening News.
The woman called one child a “fat slug” and “f—— ugly,” and another a “wimp” with “no personality” before the allegations came to light in November 2019, according to the outlets.
She also described a male staff member as “Captain Camp” while referencing his sexuality, and called a parent of Scottish descent a “f—— jock.”
Additionally, one person was called “fat f––” by Brogan, according to The Times, while another person was told they “wouldn’t need an inhaler” if they weren’t overweight.
The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) conduct panel said Brogan’s “abusive and inappropriate” comments were “very serious,” but ultimately did not recommend a prohibition order.
The order would have banned Brogan, who no longer works at the school, from teaching again in the future. The panel believed its response was “proportionate and appropriate.”
Sarah Buxcey, who accepted the ruling on behalf of the Education Secretary, said the panel was led to believe there were no complaints against Brogan before the allegations were made.
The panel also believed Brogan “would be able to make a contribution to the education profession in the future.”
“I have given weight in my consideration of sanction therefore, to the contribution that Mrs Brogan has made to the profession,” Buxcey said, per the Evening News. “For these reasons, I have concluded that a prohibition order is not proportionate or in the public interest.”
