A HEADTEACHER who held “coke and doughnuts” sessions where pupils were encouraged to tell “secrets” about members of staff has been banned from taking on the role again.

Deborah Collinson was found guilty of bullying and intimidating staff by the General Teaching Council’s Professional Conduct Committee She was suspended from Harrow Gate Primary School, Stockton, in 2009 and later sacked after it came to light that she had also instructed staff to amend attendance records and test results.

However, Miss Collinson was not struck off, meaning she will still be able to work as a teacher.

The committee found her guilty of unacceptable professional conduct between January 1, 2000, and March 24, last year, after it heard she employed intimidating working practices within the school, including restricting teachers’ lesson planning time, holding book reviews where staff were encouraged to criticise their colleagues’ work in front of each other, moving staff to different posts and other parts of the school as a punishment tactic, and instructing staff to make life difficult for a colleague returning from maternity leave.

The committee also heard about the “coke and doughnuts” sessions where pupils were encouraged to tell on their teachers.

Committee chairwoman Dr Barbara Hibbert said: “Ms Collinson’s conduct fell short of the standard expected of a registered teacher and her behaviour involved a breach of the standards of propriety expected of the profession.

“Fundamentally, this case involves Ms Collinson’s failure to properly exercise her position of authority as a headteacher.

“Either directly, or by creating a culture of fear and intimidation, she bullied colleagues and sought to falsify records and test results.

“Such behaviour is clearly unacceptable, particularly for a headteacher who has a responsibility for setting an example to others and exercising a positive leadership role.

“Ms Collinson’s behaviour demonstrated a wholesale disregard for the standards expected of a headteacher.

“It is simply unacceptable to manage a school in the manner in which she did, whatever the motivation.”

Ms Collinson has a right of appeal to the High Court within 28 days.

A Stockton Borough Council spokesman said: “We are very pleased that the school has successfully appointed a new management team to take it forward from these events of more than two years ago.

“The new headteacher and all the staff are making good progress and we look forward to the school’s future success.”