Putney teacher not struck-off after carrying pupil

A former primary school teacher in Putney, south London, who was suspended after carrying a pupil who "couldn't breathe" across a playground, has been allowed to continue teaching.

Jill Turetzky resigned from her post at Oasis Academy Putney following the incident in January 2020.

A teaching misconduct panel found Ms Turetzky engaged in inappropriate physical contact with the Year 1 pupil, who was described as vulnerable.

The panel concluded that imposing a prohibition order on Ms Turetzky would be inappropriate and said she showed "remorse".

The panel viewed CCTV footage of the incident which showed Ms Turetzky speaking to the pupil for around 20 seconds while he was in a teepee in the playground, after he refused to return to class following a break.

She then pulled him up from the floor by his arms and out of the teepee, it found.

The panel said Ms Turetzky placed her arm to the side of the pupil’s neck and across his upper chest and momentarily lifted him off the ground before taking him across the playground to the entrance of the classroom.

The panel found she effectively carried him across the playground as he could not fully bear his own weight.

It said he showed signs of distress and that he was saying or shouting something.

A witness said that the pupil was screaming he could not breathe but that she ignored him and continued to take him into the classroom.

The panel was provided with an account of the incident from the pupil where he reported that he “couldn’t breathe”.

Ms Turetzky said she recalled the pupil yelling but did not hear him say he could not breathe.

The panel considered it was likely she had not appreciated what the pupil was shouting as she was caught up in the incident.

The panel concluded Ms Turetzky’s actions amounted to unacceptable professional conduct but that imposing a prohibition order on her would be inappropriate.

It said she had previously shown “exceptionally high standards” in her personal and professional conduct before and since the incident.

Ruling on behalf of the Education Secretary, Marc Cavey wrote: “In this case, I have placed considerable weight on the panel’s comments concerning the degree of insight that Ms Turetzky has demonstrated into what appears to be a one-off incident, her previous good character, her contribution to the profession over a long period and the fact that, in its view, the misconduct found was at the less serious end of the possible spectrum.

“For these reasons, I have concluded that a prohibition order is not proportionate or in the public interest."

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