Monday, April 08, 2019

Teacher at Catholic London secondary school is suspended after it's discovered he 'CAN'T READ or write'

  • Faisal Ahmed was given the green light by teacher training program TeachFirst 
  • This is despite having problems with reading and understanding 'written tests'
  • Just days into his new job at St Thomas More Catholic school in Wood Green 
Struggling to read and write was not enough to stop a teacher getting a job at a top secondary school.
Faisal Ahmed was given the green light by elite teacher training program TeachFirst despite having 'extreme difficulty with handwriting', problems with reading and understanding 'written tests'.
Just days into his new job at St Thomas More Catholic school in leafy Wood Green, north London, he was summoned by the headmaster and suspended, reported The Sun.
Thomas More Catholic school in Wood Green, North London where Mr Ahmed worked
Thomas More Catholic school in Wood Green, North London where Mr Ahmed worked 
Mr Ahmed suffers from dyspraxia, a condition that affects co-ordination, and he told the headmaster Mark Rowland that he was unable to write for 'more than a couple of minutes' as his condition caused him too much pain.
Teach First recruits top graduates who are parachuted into schools while they study for a teaching qualification, with the organisation receiving millions in funding.

What is Teach First? 

Teach First recruits top graduates who are parachuted into schools while they study for a teaching qualification.
Set up in 2002, its two-year leadership development programme provides training in school while they study for a postgraduate diploma in education and leadership qualification.
The charity aims to recruit people who can inspire young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to achieve their potential.
It provides a salary from participants' first day in September, with teachers not having to pay any fees and getting support from a subject expert.
It also provides summer internships and says its alumni are seven times more likely to be promoted to school leadership roles.
The scandal emerged when Mr Ahmed, who is in his 30s, sued the school for constructive dismissal and disability discrimination after he quit in anger.
Papers obtained by the Sun showed that Mr Ahmed lost his legal battle and subsequent appeal over the 2016 scandal, with the London Central Employment and Tribunal throwing out his claims last month.
Ex-City worker Mr Ahmed was going to teach vital GCSE and A-Level lessons to teenagers.
Teach First admitted that they did not inform the school of Mr Ahmed's condition.
A Teach First spokesman told MailOnline: 'We hold the highest standards for every candidate who joins our teacher training programme. Every trainee who is offered a place must have a degree, expertise in the subject they teach and GCSEs in maths and English. 
'They also will have passed the professional skills tests for prospective teachers in numeracy and literacy - which is standard for all routes into teaching.
'Once offered a place in a school, Teach First continues to provide rigorous training and support for two years to the candidate, alongside a university tutor and school mentor. Our training programme has been rated outstanding by Ofsted.'
'We have always welcomed applications from candidates with disabilities and additional needs - and work with them, the school and university partners to provide any extra training and support needed to ensure their teaching is of the highest quality.'

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