Former headteacher allowed to carry on teaching after assaulting pupil at Halesowen school

A professional conduct panel decided Rhian Welsh should be allowed to continue teaching after she was sacked from Tenterfields Primary Academy in Halesowen for hitting a child.

The panel concluded it was a "split-second incident" during a "volatile" situation and said Mrs Welsh had shown remorse for what happened.

They decided she did not pose a risk to children and had made an "exceptional contribution to the schools and communities in which she served".

The former head was prosecuted over the assault in November 2018, which happened when she was trying to control a child who had punched her in the face, and was found guilty of assault at Dudley Magistrates Court following a trial. She ordered to carry out 80 hours of community work and pay £1,000 costs.

She was initially suspended by the school before being dismissed.

She claimed she had put out her hand as an instinctive reaction as the pupil had just struck her, connecting with his shoulder.

Mrs Welsh, who was head at Tenterfields between 2016 and 2019, accepted she had been convicted of an offence but said she did not believe she should be banned from the profession over it and the panel of the Teaching Regulation Agency agreed.

The panel found her guilty of misconduct as her actions "fell significantly short" of those expected but decided against imposing a prohibition order banning her from teaching.

The hearing was told how on November 22, 2018, Mrs Welsh tried to calm down a pupil who was throwing cushions and chairs around a room.

Along with a colleague, Mrs Welsh led the pupil outside and her colleague tried to put the pupil's coat on him. He then punched the headteacher in the face.

Mrs Welsh then tried to stop him throwing objects in the playground and he broke her bracelet. She then put her hand out to stop the pupil from causing her harm and made contact with his shoulder, the panel was told.

Several character references were made in Mrs Welsh's favour, including one which said she "was passionate about the pupils and staff of the school and was determined to do the best for every member of the school family".

Chair of the panel Paul Hawkins said: "The panel did not consider Mrs Welsh’s actions to be deliberate, calculated or preplanned; rather, she found herself in a volatile and fast-moving situation and made a split second decision which many others may also have taken in that moment.

"The panel acknowledged that Mrs Welsh did not seek to excuse her actions and she readily accepted full responsibility.

"The panel was of the view that Mrs Welsh had made an exceptional contribution to the schools and communities in which she served, her pupils and the profession."