By Gavin Mackintosh-
The former “superhead” of the Perry Beeches Academy Trust has been banned from teaching.
Liam Nolan ban relates to his being found guilty of misconduct last month after appearing before a Teacher Regulation Agency. The panel concluded that Nolan’s actions were “lacking in integrity” because he signed the 2013-14 accounts and annual declaration despite the omissions. However, they ruled that he did not act “dishonestly, in what appears to be a contradiction.
A contradiction probably packaged to subconscious;y lessen the intensity of the shame the ban heaps on him. Nolan was also condemned for failing to ensure the trust had a competitive tendering policy before contracting services to Nexus. His ban is a loss to the teaching profession because he was very good at his job, according to a number of reliable sources. However, he compromise don integrity in his high position of trust.
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A government investigation previously found the trust had paid almost £1.3 million to a private firm – Nexus Schools – without a contract or adequate tendering. Nolan was greedy enough to claim a second salary of £160,000 over two years, on top of his £120,000 headteacher salary, paid through Nexus.Nolan’s teaching ban is indefinite. lan also failed to ensure the trust had a competitive tendering policy before contracting services to Nexus.
He is allowed to apply for the prohibition to be set aside in two years. The shamed academic had blamed the trustees, accountants and others for the remuneration arrangements that are at the heart of this case.
CAVALIER
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The report stated that Nolan had a “cavalier attitude to his role as accounting officer, which the panel found involved a lack of integrity on his part”. The panel dismissed his apology for some of his failings as an accountant officer, stating that it did not reflect “sufficient insight into the seriousness of those failings or his responsibility in that post”.
“In particular, the panel was concerned that Nolan blamed the trustees, accountants and others for the remuneration arrangements that are at the heart of this case”. Nolan also breached academy funding rules with his dual role because he failing to ensure his pay arrangements were compliant with his tax obligations.
BREACH
There were also no “exceptional temporary circumstances” that justified payment outside payroll. Nolan’s failure to ensure the payments were disclosed in his trust’s 2013-14 financial statements, also breached academy funding and Charity Commission rules. The ruling also states that he further failed to disclose the conflict of interest existing around his dual role in an annual declaration of business interests. He topped it all by failing to ensure the trust had a written contract with Nexus.
Now that his teaching career is over, he could consider a teaching career in Africa, Asia, or America, where he ill likely be received with open arms. The price will have to be a fresh new start away with his family, if he is prepared to pay that price. Christmas for him will be emotionally tough, but he only has himself to blame. A new start may be his best option
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