Schools boss made up teacher numbers
Education chief submitted bogus figures to meet targets
A FORMER schools chief has admitted making up false teacher numbers to meet Government targets.
Andrew Sutherland, who was head of education at North Lanarkshire Council, instructed staff to falsify data on the pupil-to-teacher ratio in schools.
He realised the figure for 2014 was going to be higher than the previous year and submitted bogus statistics to the Scottish Government to avoid the local authority being hit with a fine.
Sutherland, who earned more than £116,000 a year, resigned as executive director of learning and leisure services in February 2016 during an investigation into the accuracy of the data.
The outcome of the internal probe was not made public, but he has now admitted wrongdoing after his case was referred to the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS).
Sutherland, who was a history teacher before moving into local government, escaped being struck off. Instead, he was given a reprimand which will remain on his record for six months.
In a written ruling, the GTCS said: ‘In 2014, the council’s pupil-to-teacher ratio was anticipated to be higher than the 2013 figure.
‘It would not have met the Government target and would have resulted in the council being potentially liable to a significant fine.
‘When presented with the initial figures for the ratio internally, the teacher asked whether there was a way the council could get the ratio down. The teacher admitted then instructing colleagues to make changes to the data in the statistical return in order to present the ratio as lower than it had been and knowing that lower figure to be inaccurate.
‘The teacher’s intention had been to save the council from embarrassment and a financial penalty. The teacher subsequently resigned his position. He accepted the seriousness of the allegation. He submitted the conduct was isolated and out of character.’
Sutherland is now director of education and early years at Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council in Greater Manchester.
The disciplinary hearing was told he had admitted his misconduct to his new employers. The panel said it stopped short of striking off Sutherland as he had shown remorse.
Its ruling added: ‘The panel determined that the conduct in the allegation was very serious. It consisted of dishonest conduct in producing and submitting statistical information misleading to the public and Government.
‘Given that the panel had found the allegation amounted to misconduct, it then required to consider whether the shortfalls identified by the conduct were remediable. The panel concluded that they were remediable.
‘The teacher demonstrated insight into the misconduct and also remorse. He had resigned his position at the council. He had alerted GTCS to the issue. He was in a new position and a reference provided from his current employer indicated he had been transparent about this issue.
‘The panel concluded there was a low risk of recurrence.’
A spokesman for North Lanarkshire Council said: ‘Mr Sutherland no longer works for the council. We do not comment on the individual circumstances of our employees either past or present.’
‘Save council from embarrassment’