Head used school funds to buy cars andchampagne

THE head teacher of a school for vulnerable pupils used school funds to buy champagne and restaurant meals.

Karen Walker also used cash meant for her young charges to buy two vehicles that she kept at her house and used to commute.

She also gave jobs to her daughter, son and gardener.

Walker was head of North Lanarkshire Council’s Inclusion Support Base (ISB), Coatbridge.

She was called to a General Teaching Council of Scotland (GTCS) hearing in October, which published its findings this week after nine days of evidence.

Walker had introduced a voucher scheme at the ISB designed to reward pupils for attendance.

However, the vouchers were used to buy food and alcohol for teachers – including two bottles of champagne.

Walker tried to cover up spending the vouchers on two restaurant meals for staff by pretending pupils had also been present.

One witness said members of staff were in tears of relief when spoken to about the use of the vouchers scheme and learning the truth had come out.

Teachers were encouraged to use the vouchers instead of petty cash for items such as Easter eggs, a mobile phone for a pupil and pregnancy testing kits.

Vouchers worth £5000 were purchased during the operation of the system.

Walker used school funds to buy a Ford Galaxy people carrier and a Vauxhall Corsa.

They were supposed to be used by staff to transport pupils but instead Walker kept the people carrier at her Cumbernauld home and used the Corsa to commute to work.

The GTCS report reads: “Witness 2’s view was that... the Teacher simply wanted a new vehicle.”

Walker, whose behaviour was uncovered when North Lanarkshire Council received an anonymous letter, is retired and now a director of charity Right Track Scotland. She had been a registered teacher for 37 years.

She has been struck off the teaching register but will be able to reapply to teach in two years.

A spokesman for North Lanarkshire Council said: “Karen Walker is no longer employed by North Lanarkshire Council. We note the GTC’s findings, which were largely provoked by our robust internal audit investigation.”