Weymouth teacher who 'lost control' with pupil banned

John Dadds worked as a geography and IT teacher at The Compass Learning Centre in Weymouth

A teacher who restrained a pupil inappropriately despite being given advice on appropriate contact four times has been banned.

John Dadds, 64, worked as a geography and IT teacher at The Compass Learning Centre in Weymouth from September 2013.

A Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel said though he did not act in "anger or malice", he "lost control" after a pupil misbehaved.

Mr Dadds can apply to have his ban removed from October 2024.

The Compass Learning Centre is the alternative provision school for Weymouth and Portland.

The TRA found the pupil was "visibly angry and frustrated" during a lesson in May 2019. Mr Dadds said the pupil threatened to "smash up" Mr Dadds' laptop, or used words to that effect.

The teacher said he tried to restrain him as he felt pupils and other equipment were at risk but he fell over trying to do so and the pupil kicked him while he was on the floor.

The panel said Mr Dadds should have tried to "de-escalate" the situation but had not and that it was a "cause for concern".

It found he had been given advice regarding appropriate contact with pupils in May 2016, February 2017 and twice in October 2017.

It also found he "demonstrated a lack of insight" into his actions and that he "did not seem to appreciate he should have behaved differently".

The panel said though Mr Dadds' misconduct was serious, "it was at the lower end of the spectrum".

It said a two-year period would give a "sufficient account of time to safeguard the public interest and to allow Mr Dadds to properly reflect on his conduct".

The Compass Learning Centre was contacted to comment.