Former Lancashire headteacher who made abusive comments about staff and pupils avoids ban

A former headteacher from a school in Lancashire who used obscene language in abusive and inappropriate comments about pupils and staff has avoided a ban.

In the foul language reported below Nicola Brogan, who was head of Woodland Community Primary School in Heywood, made derogatory remarks about staff, pupils and a parent which was “highly likely to create an uncomfortable and negative working environment”, a Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel found.

Mrs Brogan – who led the school between September 2011 and December 2019 – described one child as a “fat slug” and another as “f***** ugly”.

The panel heard that she referred to one pupil as a “wimp” and another as having “no personality” in a group chat with the senior leadership team.

In addition the former headteacher used the term “Captain Camp” about a male member of staff in reference to his sexuality, and she also referred to someone else as a “fat f*** who likes to finger herself” in a text message.

Mrs Brogan also referred to a parent at the school who was of Scottish heritage as a “f****** jock”, the panel heard.

The panel said the conduct of Mrs Brogan – which concerned “abusive and inappropriate” comments about staff, pupils and a parent – was “very serious”.

There was a significant weight of evidence that this behaviour had a “seriously negative impact upon the working environment of the school”, it found.

The TRA report said: “The working culture at the school at the material time was at times negative and hostile.

“Some pupils and some staff members were clearly not always treated with respect by Mrs Brogan.”

The panel concluded Mrs Brogan’s actions amounted to unacceptable professional conduct, but it said that not recommending a prohibition order was a “proportionate and appropriate response”.

Ruling on behalf of the Education Secretary, Sarah Buxcey said the panel was led to believe that Mrs Brogan had worked for many years at the school without complaints prior to the allegations which came to light in November 2019.

She said Mrs Brogan deserved “considerable credit” for leading the school out of special measures.

Ms Buxcey wrote: “I have also placed considerable weight on the finding of the panel that ‘the panel also considered that, given her experience and prior good service, there was every prospect that Mrs Brogan would be able to make a contribution to the education profession in the future’.

“I have given weight in my consideration of sanction therefore, to the contribution that Mrs Brogan has made to the profession.

“For these reasons, I have concluded that a prohibition order is not proportionate or in the public interest.”