Teacher who stamped on boy's head and assaulted primary school pupil struck off

A former primary school teacher has been banned from the profession after assaulting a pupil and stamping on another boy’s head.

Thomas Taylor was charged with assaulting the pupil, then aged ten, on December 1, 2022, while working at Heathfield School in Ayr.

He was found to have pushed the pupil on the body, seized hold of his clothing and arms, forcibly pulled his arms behind his back and walked him into the school premises.

Taylor self-referred to the General Teaching Council of Scotland following the first incident before the police became involved in June 2023 following a second attack.

On that occasion, he was found to have thrown a child to the floor, stamped on his head, and repeatedly kicked him to the head and body outside of school grounds.

Taylor appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court in September 2023, where he was given two community payback orders for 400 hours of unpaid work. He was ordered to be under supervision for 36 months and to wear an electronic tag for 16 months.

He told an investigation by the General Teaching Council of Scotland that he hoped the victims could “move on from the experience in a positive way” and apologised for his “momentary lapse of judgement”.

The panel found that his actions were “fundamentally incompatible” with remaining a teacher.

In their report, they said “the high level of aggression” in Taylor’s behaviour and the fact children were the victims added “to the seriousness of this case”.

“The Panel determined someone who behaved in the manner the Teacher did, cannot be in a classroom environment, and particularly not as a registered teacher.

“A finding of being unfit to teach was necessary to maintain the public’s confidence in GTC Scotland as the regulator of the teaching profession in Scotland.”

Taylor has been struck from the teaching register and cannot re-apply for a period of two years.

South Ayrshire Council has been contacted for comments.