Latest news with #OvinghamMiddleSchool
The Independent
11-07-2025
- The Independent
Teacher banned from the classroom after twisting colleague's nipple bar on staff night out
A teacher has been banned from the classroom after touching two members of staff during a school night out, including twisting a female colleague's nipple piercing. Vincent Collister, who taught at Ovingham Middle School in Northumberland, was found by a professional conduct panel to have acted in a sexually motivated manner during the social event for staff. A Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel found the 43-year-old approached a male colleague who was sitting on a chair and leaned over to stroke his beard. The colleague, referred to as person A, recalled the incident, telling the panel: 'Mr Collister placed his hand under my beard and pulled down, not tightly but like a stroke.' He then moved his hand to touch the colleague's crotch over his trousers. The panel report said the contact was brief, but the colleague was left 'taken aback and shocked' by what had happened. The panel also found that Mr Collister touched and twisted a female colleague's nipple piercing on the same evening. Evidence presented to the panel noted that she was left feeling 'awkward and embarrassed'. After being challenged on his conduct on the night by another colleague, he said: 'I just had to'. According to evidence heard, Mr Collister also told the colleague: 'If I had a beautiful woman like you at home, I would want to have sex with you all the time'. He also sent text messages to the female colleague after the event, including an offer to meet her at a hotel, the TRA panel found. 'Mr Collister's conduct would be likely to affect the way the teacher was viewed by the public and such behaviour would amount to misconduct that risked bringing the profession into disrepute,' the panel said. The report added: 'The panel considered that his actions, being sexual in nature, were fundamentally incompatible with being a teacher.' The TRA also found there was a 'risk of repetition', adding Mr Collister, who denied all allegations, only showed 'limited remorse'. Mr Collister has been banned indefinitely from teaching in any school, sixth form college or children's home in England. He can appeal the ban after two years.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Students fundraising for their own therapy dog
Students are raising funds to put their teacher's new puppy through therapy dog training. Nellie the cockapoo is working towards a qualification which will allow her to provide support for children and staff at Ovingham Middle School in Northumberland. Assistant headteacher Sarah McHugh said she had seen pupils needing more support over the last few years due to a variety of factors, but that they were more in touch with their emotions and able to articulate those. "I have always wanted a dog myself and what better to give the dog a really nice home with me but also be part of the community?" she said. Students had been pondering what Nellie's working day might look like, Miss McHugh said. Some had suggested they could take her on walks in the village during lunch or visit her to get settled during the day. Miss McHugh said in recent years everyone's emotional literacy had evolved and she had observed her students were "more confident" in asking for extra support. "I think they're just more aware now and telling us that they need some extra help to regulate their emotions," she said. She said Nellie's presence would make school "a bit more inviting and engaging, but also a safer space for them". Both Miss McHugh and Nellie have to undergo months of training for the accreditation, which will cost £4,500 in total. An assessment will look for Nellie's ability to respond to commands, but also see if she has empathy and can recognise body language cues in people. The children have got behind her journey by holding cake sales and non-uniform day fundraisers. They also held a competition to design Nellie's neckerchief for when she comes to the school full-time from December. Miss McHugh said: "Staff say they are really keen to work with Nellie and have her in some of the classrooms. "Maybe for the star-of-the-lesson to come and spend some time with her, but also just to have her there as a bit of a comfort." With a limited school budget, staff decided the best option was to fundraise as the training would solely be used for school-based interventions for the 350 pupils there. Miss McHugh bought Nellie herself and also pays for her vet bills, health insurance and day-to-day costs, like food. There is no government funding earmarked solely for therapy dogs. If a staff member or pupil was allergic to dogs they did not have to be in close proximity to Nellie, Miss McHugh said, and risk assessments had been carried out. When Nellie is in school full time, she will also follow timetable and there will be signs to mark she is present in a room. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Hero the therapy dog helps children at school Meet therapy dog Bella, who has helped 3,000 teens Dogs having a 'phenomenal' effect on patients
BBC News
26-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Ovingham students fundraise for their own therapy dog Nellie
Students are raising funds to put their teacher's new puppy through therapy dog the cockapoo is working towards a qualification which will allow her to provide support for children and staff at Ovingham Middle School in headteacher Sarah McHugh said she had seen pupils needing more support over the last few years due to a variety of factors, but that they were more in touch with their emotions and able to articulate those."I have always wanted a dog myself and what better to give the dog a really nice home with me but also be part of the community?" she said. Students had been pondering what Nellie's working day might look like, Miss McHugh had suggested they could take her on walks in the village during lunch or visit her to get settled during the McHugh said in recent years everyone's emotional literacy had evolved and she had observed her students were "more confident" in asking for extra support."I think they're just more aware now and telling us that they need some extra help to regulate their emotions," she said Nellie's presence would make school "a bit more inviting and engaging, but also a safer space for them". Both Miss McHugh and Nellie have to undergo months of training for the accreditation, which will cost £4,500 in assessment will look for Nellie's ability to respond to commands, but also see if she has empathy and can recognise body language cues in children have got behind her journey by holding cake sales and non-uniform day also held a competition to design Nellie's neckerchief for when she comes to the school full-time from McHugh said: "Staff say they are really keen to work with Nellie and have her in some of the classrooms."Maybe for the star-of-the-lesson to come and spend some time with her, but also just to have her there as a bit of a comfort." With a limited school budget, staff decided the best option was to fundraise as the training would solely be used for school-based interventions for the 350 pupils McHugh bought Nellie herself and also pays for her vet bills, health insurance and day-to-day costs, like is no government funding earmarked solely for therapy a staff member or pupil was allergic to dogs they did not have to be in close proximity to Nellie, Miss McHugh said, and risk assessments had been carried Nellie is in school full time, she will also follow timetable and there will be signs to mark she is present in a room. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
