College High, Erdington, teacher in conduct row

Sep 19 2008 by Tony Collins, Birmingham Mail

A SENIOR teacher at a Birmingham secondary school walked off the premises without permission because her cooker needed repairing, a professional conduct hearing heard.

Joan Lambert was employed as the head of ICT at The College High School in College Road, Erdington, prior to the incident in June 2006.

She failed to attend the professional competence committee of the General Teaching Council, meeting in Birmingham yesterday, but the case went ahead in her absence.

Miss Lambert is accused of unacceptable professional conduct by leaving the school premises at The College High despite receiving direct instructions from the assistant head not to do so.

She is further charged with “serious professional incompetence” throughout the period from April 19, 2004, to December 31, 2006, in that she failed to perform a range of duties such as work planning and evaluation.

The College High’s assistant head teacher David Ilderton told the committee that Miss Lambert wanted to go home to get her gas cooker repaired.

He said: “I did ask her if it was an emergency and if the gas board had been called out.

“Miss Lambert described the fault with the cooker as an emergency, but when I ascertained that it was for a repair and not an emergency, I refused to give permission for her to go home.

“Miss Lambert was aware of the problem with the cooker the day before and came to see me while I was teaching.”

The hearing was told that the head of ICT then announced that she was leaving and walked off the premises without permission.

“As soon as it became apparent that she left the site, we arranged cover for her classes,” Mr Ilderton added.

“I am not aware of any preparations or work being left for those classes.”

Miran Uddin, the General Teaching Council’s presenting officer, said the misconduct matter led to a disciplinary hearing which resulted in Miss Lambert’s resignation from the school.

(Proceeding).