Two former headteachers have been banned from teaching after a report revealed they locked pupils with special educational needs in ‘calming rooms’ with bolted doors.
Ordran Doran, 66, was head teacher and associate head teacher of The Bridge School in Ipswich, Suffolk, from 1988 until his retirement in 2017 where he was replaced by his deputy Simon Black, 62.
The school specialises in children aged four to 16 with severe learning difficulties.
Following concerns about their leadership, officials inspected the school and found rooms with bolted doors.
Mr Doran told the Teaching Regulation Agency that the bolt would be used ‘to contain children if they were being aggressive and presenting a danger to themselves or others’.
Ordran Doran (pictured), 66, was head teacher and associate head teacher of The Bridge School in Ipswich, Suffolk, from 1988 until his retirement in 2017
A room known as the ‘soft play’ space, which had padded walls, cushions and was bolted, had been used at the school with other ‘calming rooms’ introduced in 2015.
Mr Doran told the hearing that these were designed to be ‘intentionally bleak’ to de-escalate a pupil’s behaviour. The report also revealed that Mr Black was found to have been involved in ‘pushing and rolling’ a pupil from a hallway into a ‘calming room’ and then locking them inside.
He argued that he had been responding to a call for help as the pupil could not be calmed down and was in a ‘heightened state’. The panel found he engaged in inappropriate and unprofessional behaviour towards the vulnerable pupil.
Mr Doran was found to have been ‘unprofessional and aggressive’ by restricting pupils movement by the use of locks. He was also found to allow them to be detained when it was not appropriate.
The Teaching Regulation Agency said both members of staff ‘fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession’.
The panel said that both men had previous good records before the incidents came to light. They noted that Mr Black had initially admitted the allegations and signed a statement of agreed facts but later denied them.
The panel also said: ‘Mr Doran had limited insight or remorse into his actions, and as a result, the panel were concerned about the risk of repetition..’
Decision maker on behalf of the Secretary of State, David Oatley, said: ‘A prohibition order would prevent Mr Doran from teaching.
‘A prohibition order would also clearly deprive the public of his contribution to the profession for the period that it is in force.
The entrance to The Bridge School in Ipswich, Suffolk – a specialist school for children aged four to 16 with severe learning difficulties (Google Maps)
‘In this case, I have placed considerable weight on the panel’s comments concerning the lack of insight or remorse.
‘In my judgement, the lack of insight and remorse means that there is some risk of the repetition of this behaviour and this puts at risk the future wellbeing of pupils.’
He added: ‘Whilst there is evidence Mr Black was otherwise well regarded as a teacher, the panel considered that the adverse public interest considerations outweighed the interest in retaining Mr Black in the profession, since his behaviour fundamentally breached the standard of conduct expected of a teacher.’
Mr Doran and Mr Black have been banned from teaching indefinitely.
has approached The Bridge School for comment.