Sponsored by
Rise in pupils' complaints against teachers
Unions have voiced their fears after the number of complaints made by pupils against teachers in Lancashire soared.
Sixty-five complaints were submitted by July 27 this year – just 15 fewer than the total for the whole of last year.
Of those investigated, five have been "substantiated", six were "unfounded" and one was deemed "malicious".
Seven teachers remain suspended pending investigations – although information held by the county council shows a further four could also be suspended.
County Hall bosses say reporting changes since the Soham murders – when school caretaker Ian Huntley killed 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in August 2002 – have contributed to the rise.
But one union chief today said many of the cases being investigated could easily have been dealt with in a headteacher's office.
Tony Roberts, Lancashire branch secretary of the National Association of Headteachers (NAHT), said: "Within the scheme of things, 65 is not a lot but, in one sense, it is far too many. It's very easy to become a part of these statistics.
"What did happen, and still can happen, is if you had a problem you would get the parent in and talk it through with them in the head's office and, if they felt it was necessary, they would take the complaint to the next level. Now, parents go straight to the local authority."
Mr Roberts said he was particularly concerned at cases where teachers have intervened in fights which can lead to long-running investigations which are later quickly dismissed if they reach court.
Nigel Burke, chairman of the Lancashire Safeguarding Children Board, said: "Numbers of allegations reported have risen over the past three years but this is almost certainly due to reporting procedures brought in following the Michael Bichard enquiry into the Soham murders.
"It is not necessarily an indication that more allegations are being made."
>> Vote in our latest web poll
i-map: All the news from around the North West on our interactive map
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Preston
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -6 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: -2 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South east
