A French teacher at a Fife school has been given a warning after admitting spending time alone with a female pupil.
Dan Barlow faced a General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) tribunal over his behaviour while employed at the independent, fee-paying educational establishment.
Barlow, who has not worked at the school since 2019, admitted several of the claims made against him, which included taking the unnamed pupil, referred to as Pupil A, to his home after a camping trip in May 2018.
Fife school teacher reprimanded
The teacher avoided punishment for sharing medical information about other pupils with the girl, with the tribunal accepting his explanation that she required the information because of her “supervisory” role on the same May 2018 trip.
He will be allowed to continue his career in education after the tribunal issued him with a reprimand that will stay on file for six months.
The GTCS said that the visit to his home address had not been known within the school and “marked a crossing into the teacher‘s personal life”.
Barlow also admitted spending time alone to watch films in the school’s common room with the girl, as well as taking her on walks with his dog.
The panel also examined a trip Barlow made to Falkland Palace alone with the pupil, which it said was “wholly inappropriate”.
He told the GTCS that his relationship with Pupil A had been pastoral, with the care he had provided done with the full knowledge and “encouragement” of the school.
The report said: “The teacher stated that following difficulties immediately upon her arrival at the school, she had undertaken time as a day pupil before reverting to boarding.
“He stated that Pupil A had only been able to continue boarding due to the support put in place by the school and carried out by himself as ‘Spouse in the House’ and his wife.”
The report continued: “He stated that a teacher in a school boarding house was more akin to being in a family home with a degree of informality not present in a day or non-boarding school.
Teachers ‘act in place of parents’
“He submitted that teachers were ‘in loco parentis’ whilst caring for and supervising boarding pupils, meaning that teachers would act in place of parents.
“He stated pupils and staff mixed and congregated in common areas of the boarding house.”
It also added that it was a “common occurrence” for staff to undertake weekend activities with pupils, “seeking to mirror family life”.
The panel said it found Barlow to be both “credible and reliable”, and had provided evidence with confidence, accuracy and without contradiction.
Members also noted he was “sincere and honest”, concluding that a reprimand was the most suitable sanction, noting Barlow’s apology and commitment not to repeat the behaviour.
No abuse of power, regulator finds
The report said the panel “concluded that the conduct did not constitute an abuse of a position of trust”, and it did not find that harm had been caused to any pupils.
It added: “The teacher had admitted some of the conduct found proved. The conduct was not at the most serious end of the range of this type of conduct.
“The teacher had reflected and had expressed contrition.”
A representative for the school said they did not wish to comment on the GTCS report.
