Head suspended over 'phantom pupils'

The District Auditor found the extra pupils did not exist

A headteacher and her deputy from the south Wales valleys have been suspended over claims a class of "phantom pupils" was used to get extra cash.

Investigations at Tref-y-rhyg Primary School in Tonyrefail revealed teachers were claiming £55,000 for around 20 pupils who never attended and money for an additional teacher.

If the allegations are proven, it is a very serious offence

Gethin Lewis, NUT Wales

Head Colleen Jones and deputy Glenda Hasty were sent home after auditors from the District Audit Service discovered money had been paid for pupils who should no longer have been on the register of the 167 pupils at the school, near Pontypridd.

The local authority pays schools £2,000 per pupil.

Extra teacher

Tref-y-rhyg's claim meant an extra outlay of £40,000 for the pupils, plus £15,000 to pay for another teacher as a result of the new demand.

Mrs Jones, who lives at Pentre in the Rhondda, has been the school's head for three years and is said to be popular among parents.

One theory being looked in to by the local education authority at Rhondda Cynon Taff is that children who left the school and moved out of the area were kept on the school books.

Council spokesman Dewi Jones said: "The head and deputy head are not at the school at present. A temporary management team of two experienced headteachers is in place and the school is operating as normal."

The pair denied the allegations through their union, the National Association of Head Teachers, and said they looked forward to returning to work soon.

Question over figures

The school's chair of governors, Eudine Hanagan, who authorised the women's suspension, questioned how the investigation could have put a number of the alleged "phantom pupils" before an inquiry was completed.

She said Tref-y-rhyg was a "bright and vigorous" school where pupils were working hard to achieve good results.

Investigations showed 20 pupils did not exist

Gethin Lewis, Secretary of the National Union of Teachers in Wales, said it was said the union was co-operating with investigators.

"To suspend a headteacher and a deputy over a matter such as this is a serious thing and if the allegations are proven it is a very serious offence," he said.

"But nobody should jump to any conclusions until the investigation is completed.

"The NUT is co-operating in the investigation into management issues at the school. It is important now that the children's education should continue and that staff continue to have the support of the NUT and the local authority."

Last November, the head from Ynysmaerdy Primary School in Briton Ferry resigned on grounds of ill health after it emerged the school had claimed a £176,000 surplus for 30 non-existent pupils on the register.