Teacher who slapped pupil can keep job

5:41pm Thursday 8th May 2008

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A MATHS teacher who slapped a pupil over the head and swore at another has been allowed to keep his job.

Martin Rutter, formerly of Dr Challoner's Grammar School, Amersham, was told by a standards panel his behaviour fell "seriously short" of expected standards but he could continue teaching.

Yesterday's General Teaching Council hearing was told Mr Rutter was given two written warnings in 21 months - and even had anger management training paid by the school.

He stepped down in January 2004 shortly before being called to a disciplinary hearing at the school, where he had worked since 1990.

Mr Rutter admitted three out of four allegations at the Birmingham hearing which also recorded another one in a teachers' report as a "lazy sod"

He was "not a good role" model said Ralph Ullmann, who chaired the hearing.

Mr Rutter "showed a lack of respect for young people" and his actions "had the effect of seriously undermining and demeaning pupils".

The panel found Mr Rutter guilty of unacceptable professional conduct.

Mr Rutter, of Bellingdon Road, Chesham admitted three allegations and denied one - but had all four upheld against him.

On one occasion, he left a pupil "upset and shaken" after slapping him on the head, the hearing was told.

A statement from the unnamed pupil said: "I began to make silly noises which annoyed Mr Rutter.

"He got up and slapped me on the head to shock me into being quiet.

"It was fairly hard but not hard enough to be painful. I don't consider this action to be justifiable."

He was given a written warning by headteacher Dr Mark Felton - but was in trouble again the following spring term over two incidents with a year nine student.

The child, identified as Pupil C, said during a practice SATs exam he accidentally drew a graph in pen in the wrong place and began to cross it out.

Mr Rutter picked up his paper and called his work "f*****g crap" the hearing was told.

He later grabbed a library book from Pupil C, causing it to tear.

Middle-aged Mr Rutter told the panel: "It wasn't a deliberate tear. It was a violent picking up of the book and shaking it."

But he accepted his actions would have "frightened the children".

The same day, he called the same pupil a "lazy sod" in a report book on the student's class.

He was given a final written warning by governors and resigned in 2004. He is now at Windsor Boys' School.

The hearing also heard Mr Rutter tore up a test paper of a year seven pupil he accused of cheating.

Several students interviewed later said Mr Rutter had called the pupil a "pillock" under his breath, though this was not remembered by the pupil or Mr Rutter.

Mr Rutter argued this incident did not amount to unacceptable professional conduct.

Deputy head Stephanie Horrocks, present at the hearing, said: "We would never use a word like that to a student in our school.

"We would never want to call a student anything at all."

He received anger management training paid for by the school but refused further counselling, the panel was told.

Colleagues said the training helped him.

Mrs Horrocks said she believed Mr Rutter's behaviour could have partly down to running extra curricular activities, some at weekends and lunch times.

Mr Rutter was made the subject of a conditional registration order which means reports will be compiled on his conduct every July and December to July 2011.

These reports are to ensure there no further "episodes or incidents of inappropriate behaviour towards or treatment of pupils, including the use of unacceptable language".