Teachers confiscate pupil’s phone before it records them calling schoolkids ‘kn**head’ and ‘b***end’ in staff room
TEACHERS confiscated a pupil’s phone before it recorded them calling schoolkids “kn**head” and “b***end” in their staff room.
Newhouse Academy in Heywood, Greater Manchester, has received a flurry of complaints from worried parents after an audio file of private conversations lasting nearly four hours was leaked.
It was taken on a mobile phone that had been confiscated from a student and taken in the staff room.
In a conversation between some of the staff, one can be heard describing an “immature” student by saying that anyone would “want to rip his head off”, while a female pupil was called a “silly b*tch”.
Another said that “it was that time of the month” for teenage girls deemed particularly difficult.
The audio, recorded in October, also includes comments about a black pupil, with one teacher describing him as “the big black lad”.
A male member of staff calls one child a “b**end”.
The teachers involved were reported to HR, before disciplinary action was taken and they apologised for their actions, a school spokesman said.
It’s understood they are all still working at Newhouse.
One concerned parent, whose 14-year-old daughter attends the academy, said: “It’s disgusting.
“I have to leave my child in a place where this has happened. How can I know it is safe?
“Management is aware, and they’ve done nothing about it.
“I’m surprised the headteacher has not suspended the teachers, or at least punished them in some way.”
Worried parents have joined a Facebook group, “Newhouse Academy! Parents stand up and be heard!”, to voice their concerns.
One parent posted next to an angry face emoji: “How they’re getting away with it…”
A letter signed by headteacher Alex Burnham, according to M.E.N, read: “The content of the discussion that was captured in no way aligns with our school’s values.
“I want to stress that this should not have happened, and we have taken the strongest possible action against those involved.”
A school spokesman added: “The content of the discussion that was captured in no way aligns with our school’s values, and there is no shying away from the fact that this should not have happened.
‘WORK NEEDED TO REBUILD TRUST’
“We expect our community to be a place of integrity and respect.
“The incident was immediately investigated, and, after seeking HR advice, the appropriate disciplinary action was taken against the individuals concerned.
“We also recognised that there was work needed to rebuild trust with those staff members.
“Where it was right to do so, we undertook restorative work so that the staff could apologise for their actions.”
Newhouse Academy’s website calls the school, which teaches around 1,000 pupils aged between 11 and 16, a “diverse, vibrant, friendly and aspirational environment.”
It also reads: “Newhouse Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.”
In March, it was revealed that maths teacher Bethany Woodcock, 29, was banned from the classroom after forming an inappropriate relationship with a pupil at Newhouse.
A misconduct hearing was told how she had “emotionally blackmailed” the young girl and was able to continue working with children for two years after the allegations first came to light.
The school was recently graded as “requiring improvement”.