Head teacher who called child 'fat slug' avoids ban

Nicola Brogan's behaviour had a "serious" impact on the school's working environment, a report found

A former primary school head teacher who made inappropriate and abusive comments about pupils and staff has been spared a teaching ban.

Nicola Brogan, who was head of Woodland Community Primary School in Heywood, Greater Manchester, made derogatory remarks about staff, pupils and a parent, a Teaching Regulation Agency disciplinary panel found.

Mrs Brogan, who led the school between September 2011 and December 2019, described one child as a "fat slug" and ridiculed their physical appearance, the hearing was told.

She also referred to one pupil as a "wimp" and another as having "no personality" in a group chat with the senior leadership team.

The panel said Mrs Brogan's conduct, which was characterised by "abusive and inappropriate" comments about staff, pupils and a parent, was "very serious".

'Prior good service'

There was significant evidence that the behaviour had a "seriously negative impact on the working environment of the school", it found.

The panel's report said Mrs Brogan's actions amounted to unacceptable professional conduct, but not recommending a prohibition order was a "proportionate" response.

In its ruling on behalf of the Education Secretary, the panel said it was led to believe that Mrs Brogan had worked for many years at the school without complaints prior to the allegations, which came to light in November 2019.

It also said Mrs Brogan deserved "considerable credit" for leading the school out of special measures.

The panel's finding of Mrs Brogan's "experience and prior good service", meant there was "every prospect" she would be able to contribute to the education profession in the future.

"For these reasons, a prohibition order is not proportionate or in the public interest," it ruled.