Former academy executive headteacher found guilty of “unacceptable professional conduct”

A prominent former academy headteacher has been found guilty of “unacceptable professional conduct” after having influence over the careers of a friend and her children but then failing to declare these relationships, and then stating that the friend had met all her professional objectives despite knowing that she had not.

Markus Ryan, the long-serving headteacher of St Thomas More Catholic Comprehensive School, in Greenwich, south-east London, was also found to have provided his services as an executive headteacher free of charge to two schools, including one where his friend had been serving as head of school – a move for which he was found to have “lacked integrity”.

The government’s Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) also found that Mr Ryan, a keen sailor, had had the school purchase clothing “for his yachting crew” for him, and had incurred £1,200 of excess roaming charges on his school’s iPad, which he had said had been generated while he was sailing.

The TRA panel also concluded that the conduct of Mr Ryan, 61, may have brought the profession into disrepute. However, it decided against recommending to the government that he be barred from teaching, as he had shown “contrition,” was “of previous good character” and had “contributed significantly to the education sector”.

The detail

A professional conduct panel was convened on this case by the TRA. Its judgement was published last month.