Primary school teacher lied about pupil urinating on another student

A Gloucestershire teacher has been found guilty of 'unacceptable professional conduct' after lying about when a student had been urinated on by another pupil.

Rebecca Sims worked at Lakeside Primary School in Cheltenham from 3 May 2016 until 19 March 2021.

On 1 May 2019, both pupils were in Miss Sims’ class. Miss Sims cleaned up Pupil A, but failed to notify their parents until the end of the day.

As Pupil A was not distressed, the panel noted that the incident was not sufficiently serious enough to require them to be told beforehand.

The panel also found that Miss Sims’ failure to notify the parents was a one-off.

However, she indicated to the pupil’s mother and the headteacher that it happened in the afternoon, when she knew it took place around 10.10am.

She later asked Witness B to support her account.

Miss Sims admitted to have knowingly provided untruthful information about the incident and that it was dishonest in that she asked Witness B to support an account which she knew was untruthful.

Miss Sims also failed to comply with safeguarding duties. In late November 2019, she failed to ensure that a pupil was appropriately supervised, in that he was found unaccompanied in the school hall.

This allegation was admitted by Miss Sims. However, having heard the evidence, the panel considered it was not proved.

The panel found that she did not record one or more safeguarding concerns relating to that pupil on the school’s system, CPOMS, in a timely manner between 15 November 2019 and 22 November 2019.

And on 2 February 2021, she failed to ensure that another pupil was appropriately supervised as he was able to leave the classroom and was found unaccompanied in the school playground.

Miss Sims was subject to disciplinary proceedings and dismissed from her position at the school.

Credit: Carmelo Garcia, Local Democracy Reporter