Teacher who bullied tragic colleague can return to classroom

Moira Ogilvie, 40, asked colleagues to spy on bulimia sufferer Britt Pilton, 29, in the months before she died, a misconduct panel heard.

She was also alleged to have reduced staff to tears and acted inappropriately towards children – including making rude gestures and screaming that they “had ruined the school”.

At yesterday’s hearing in Birmingham, the General Teaching Council’s presenting officer Laura Ryan described Miss Ogilvie’s time as acting deputy head at High Greave Junior School in Rotherham, South Yorks.

“Members of staff reported that Moira Ogilvie had asked them to spy on each other,” she said. “That she had left them feeling victimised, intimidated, bullied and harassed.”

An earlier session heard how another teacher, Natalie Garbutt, had been asked by Miss Ogilvie to “write notes” on Miss Pilton because of her perceived classroom failings. Hours before she died in the school toilets in February 2009, the young woman had been “concerned” that her tormentor had taken her class notes to substantiate claims about her professional conduct, Miss Garbutt said.

The teacher also described how Miss Ogilvie joked that Miss Pilton’s death had sorted out some “staffing issues”. Another teacher heard Miss Ogilvie say Miss Pilton’s replacement was “a better teacher than Britt ever was” in front of a shocked pupil.

Two weeks after Miss Pilton’s death, 11 members of staff wrote to the headteacher complaining about Miss Ogilvie’s behaviour.

The panel found Miss Ogilvie guilty of unacceptable conduct and bringing the profession into disrepute.

Chairman Luke Graham said she could still teach, but was banned from any school managerial position for at least three years.

He added: “In the run-up to Britt Pilton’s death, Miss Ogilvie bullied, intimidated, undermined and victimised her.”