Former Academy headteacher faces panel hearing

The former headteacher at Stromness Academy is due to go before a hearing of the General Teaching Council for Scotland next Tuesday.

The Fitness to Teach panel’s “Procedural Hearing – Removal with Consent” hearing will see Hilda Learmonth face allegations that:

Between dates not known at this time, while Head Teacher at Stromness Academy, you did:

a) Create an atmosphere of fear and oppression within the workplace

b) Deny staff dignity at work

c) Impose a management regime to the detriment of many staff at the school

In May 2014, a letter from two-thirds of Stromness Academy’s staff, citing concerns about “outrageous bullying behaviour” at the school, was sent to OIC chief executive, Alistair Buchan.  This led to an investigation by external education advisor, John Stodter.

Staff at the secondary school were told in August 2014 that Miss Learmonth had retired.