'Sin bin' boy left outside in cold at junior school
Children who misbehaved at a failing junior school were sent to a playground "sin bin" in all weathers, a professional conduct hearing has been told.
The isolation was stopped when council officer Wayne Williams visited Maesydre School in Welshpool and saw a young boy sitting in the "sin bin" – a table beside the fence – in just his jumper on a freezing February lunchtime.
Mr Williams, a school effectiveness officer, who removed the boy, said the process bordered on abuse and ordered it stop or he would report the headteacher to the Children's Commissioner for Wales.
Mr Williams was giving evidence yesterday at a Professional Conduct and Competency hearing of the General Teaching Council for Wales.
Suzanne Foster, the then head of the school, who lives in Clun, faces being struck off the teaching register if allegations against her constituting serious profession misconduct or incompetence are proved.
Mr Williams said the school was put into special measures in May 2011. Mrs Foster resigned in December 2011 and the school was lifted out of special measures in January 2013.
Estyn Inspectors said the visit before their report had been the most difficult they had conducted as Mrs Foster had been untruthful and deceitful, Mr Williams said. "Staff and governors had not expected such a dire report as the head had painted a very different picture," he said.
He said she blamed the poor standards on the poor ability and poor behaviour of the pupils.
But Mrs Foster told the hearing that, during her time as headteacher, she was "undermined" by Dewi Roberts, the former deputy headteacher. "He made life difficult," she told the professional competence committee.
The hearing continues.
