Burton upon Stather head teacher pinned pupil down for 30 minutes
- Published
Sarah Brown was head teacher at Burton-upon-Stather Primary School from 2013 to 2018
A primary school head teacher who pinned a pupil to the floor has been struck off.
Sarah Brown, 50, held the child down for up to 30 minutes when he became disruptive at Burton-upon-Stather primary, near Scunthorpe, in 2018.
The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) physical contact was "necessary at the outset" but it had been "inappropriate" to hold him for such a long time.
Mrs Brown, who did not attend the hearing, left the school in 2018.
A hearing was told the unnamed pupil's behaviour could present a risk of harm to himself and others, though a similar situation in 2017 had been handled "positively".
According to the TRA report, external the boy's class teacher, named only as Witness C, had sought assistance from Mrs Brown during the 2018 episode.
She said they escorted the pupil from the classroom but, at some point, Mrs Brown and the boy ended up on the floor where she held him down.
Witness C said the pupil was "visibly distressed and kicking and resisting" and, she thought the struggle had lasted for about 30 minutes.
The report said: "She recalled that Pupil A said that Mrs Brown was hurting him and that he wanted her to get off and Witness C said that she thought it would have been unpleasant for Pupil A."
McDonald's trip
The panel also found her guilty of further misconduct during her time in post between 2013 and 2018. This included taking a pupil off-site during school time to go to McDonald's and the park.
Mrs Brown claimed she was providing "pastoral care" and had parental permission, but the panel found her to have "breached professional boundaries" as the same level of support would not have been offered to others.
The case was considered during a virtual hearing in May.
Mrs Brown was unrepresented and unable to attend due to health reasons but, in a written response to the panel, said: "I voluntarily waive my right to attend the final hearing."
The report said Mrs Brown would be barred from teaching until at least June 2025.
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