Former Head of Trojan Horse scandal academy denies punishment allegations

The ex-headteacher of an academy in Birmingham at the heart of the Trojan Horse scandal is alleged to have allowed pupils to be placed "in stress positions" as a punishment, a misconduct panel has heard.

Moz (Monsoor) Hussain is facing different allegations alongside four otherformer senior Park View Academy staff, including executive headteacher Lindsey Clark.

Also accused are Hardeep Saini, former headteacher of sister school Golden Hillock, Razwan Faraz, the old deputy headteacher of another linked school Nansen Primary, and Arshad Hussain who was an assistant headteacher at Park View in Alum Rock, Birmingham.

All are accused of being guilty of unacceptable professional conduct, but are facing different allegations being heard by a National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) panel.

Mr Saini is alleged to have advised a teacher, at the time under policeinvestigation for having "extreme pornography" on their mobile, "to throw hisphone in the canal to make sure there was no problem".

He is also claimed to have responded "That's what we believe", when he was told of a complaint made by a Park View pupil about being taught by a gay teacher.

The ex-head is further accused of failing to take action in his post at GoldenHillock when another teacher is said to have claimed "We have the true religion".

In Mr Faraz's case, it is alleged he used the word "kuffars", in reference tonon-Muslims, "in a derogatory manner".

He is also alleged to have told Park View pupils in or around May of 2013:"Just think, you could be like those poor innocent people in Guantanamo Bay without the opportunity to study."

The ex-deputy is also accused of submitting an "inaccurate, misleading anddishonest" statement, when he denied all knowledge of the WhatsApp social media group the "Park View Brotherhood".

Mr Hussain is claimed to have allowed pupils to be subjected to unusual,excessive and disproportionate punishments, including "being made to stand in the rain", "being made to stare at bushes", and "being made to sit on floor tiles".

Also similarly accused of that allegation is Ms Clark, who - through her legalcounsel - said she accepted "in part" one fact of the case levelled againsther.

"Lindsey Clark does not accept it was unusual or excessive punishment, butaccepts that some pupils were placed in detention, and accepts they have to look out towards bushes," said Katie Langdon.

The five all face a common allegation they agreed to the inclusion of "anundue amount of religious influence in the education of the pupils" at ParkView, and - for some of the respondents - the other sister schools.

Among the facts of the NCTL's case, it is alleged the former teachers applied "improper pressure" on staff who were "unsympathetic" to their aims, appointed staff who were sympathetic to their cause, and encouraged pupils to pray in school through - among other methods - broadcasting a call to prayer on Park View's loud-speakers.

The hearing in Coventry, which is scheduled to last until December, may also hear over the coming weeks from former Park View pupils, the panel was told.

The allegations are all denied.

Park View was at the heart of accusations of an alleged plot by hardlineMuslims to take over several city schools.

The plot, detailed in an anonymous letter now widely believed to have been a hoax, triggered four official investigations and saw five schools placed intospecial measures by Ofsted.

Among those rated down by inspectors was the previously outstanding school Park View, Nansen Primary and Golden Hillock - all run by the Park View Educational Trust.

The trust's former chairman, Tahir Alam, is thought to have become the firstperson barred from involvement in the management of independent schools last month, as a result of new powers granted to the Education Secretary.

Park View has since been taken over and re-named Rockwood Academy.