‘Inadequate’ teacher signs off with stress then takes school to tribunal

John Beardshall claimed he faced a “tirade of criticism” following the snap inspection at Brinsworth Comprehensive School, Rotherham, by former headteacher Mike Gray.

He was signed off work with stress just days after claiming he suffered a “psychiatric injury” following feedback from the unannounced class visit in February, 2008.

He was eventually sacked in May, 2009 and is also claiming for discrimination on grounds of disability and trade union activities against Mr Gray and Rotherham Council.

Mr Bearshall did not appear at the Sheffield hearing yesterday on grounds of illness but in a witness statement claimed he was targeted by senior staff after an Ofsted inspection.

He claimed the feedback he got after the lesson inspection was an “absolute travesty” and “gross victimisation”.

But Mr Gray told the tribunal: “I would have expected a higher level of competence”.

Mr Beardshall claimed that the class inspection led to unbearable stress and was a “deplorable measure deliberately used to misrepresent and add intolerable pressure”.

Mr Gray, who retired in August 2008, rejected his claim and said the lesson inspections were part of the school’s monitoring of teaching.

Brinsworth’s current headteacher Richard Fone said the teacher was on sick leave when he was appointed but refused to attend meetings.

David Morris, the school’s joint National Union of Teachers representative with Mr Beardshall, said he felt singled out after the lesson was observed.

David Calvert, solicitor for the respondents, said lesson observations had been in place at the school for at least 12 months before Mr Beardshall’s class was inspected.

He added Brinsworth had “bent over backwards” to try and help him after he went off ill but he failed to respond.

The panel reserved its judgment to a later date.