Articles labeled: firecrackers in classroom

Martin Reynish, a teacher in Wales, UK, told members of a disciplinary hearing that an attack by a student “permanently changed his attitude to his job”, and that is why he was unable to stop pupils from continuously setting off firecrackers in his classroom — the incident that may lead to his dismissal for professional incompetence.

The school where he worked, Bryn Celynnog Comprehensive, in Beddau, near Pontypridd, had become more like an inner city secondary than a small rural one, [Reynish] said.

The hearing, resumed after two months, is the first of its kind held by the General Teaching Council for Wales to look at the competence of a teacher. The GTCW usually considers issues of suitability or misconduct only.

When the hearing opened last November Mr Reynish’s teaching methods came under scrutiny as the panel heard allegations of bad behaviour by pupils and his inability to control them.

Pupils let off firecrackers, took mobile phone calls and used games consoles during his lessons, the panel heard.

Giving evidence yesterday, Mr Reynish said he felt “victimised and stressed” by a local education authority capability process to assess his ability as a teacher, which forced him to present lesson plans to be externally monitored.

Asked why he might have started to find his job harder, Mr Reynish said, “With the benefit of hindsight I can remember an incident when I was physically attacked by a Year 9 pupil (aged 12 or 13), who ultimately went on to be excluded.