A TEACHER who “let down” pupils has been banned from taking charge of any school department after a professional watchdog ruled him incompetent.

Pupils at Alan Kirk’s Southampton school had to resubmit coursework when they should have been revising for other exams because of his poor teaching and leadership, the General Teaching Council for England (GTCE) ruled.

Many youngsters were left with IT grades far below expectation, with significant “underachievement”

recorded at the school – despite it having a designated specialism in the subject.

Bosses at Cantell Maths and Computing College launched a series of investigations into his performance as head of IT during his four years in the role, after concerns were repeatedly raised by colleagues.

The GTCE has now ruled that he is guilty of “serious professional incompetence” after agreeing with evidence from Cantell head teacher Ruth Evans and deputies that he had consistently failed to perform to the required standard.

The Professional Competence Committee of the GTCE also found that he was not good enough in his role as department head at tracking and analysing student achievement, planning early intervention and combating underachievement, and providing adequate leadership for IT staff.

But they rejected claims that he was below-par at planning and moderation, and that he didn’t provide guidelines for the structure and content of IT courses.

The panel said in its report: “The effect of this underperformance was students being let down and having to repeat coursework at a time when they were supposed to be revising for other GCSEs; parents being aggrieved; and an undermining of the credibility of the school and its specialist status. It also appears that there was demoralisation of departmental staff.”

The committee said it believed that Mr Kirk, who left Cantell in 2009, has improved his teaching, and decided to impose a Conditional Registration Order, limiting him to normal classroom roles only. The ruling means that he cannot “act in a position of leadership of any staff or subject area”.

Ms Evans said: “Cantell Maths and Computing College takes the education of its students very seriously and when it came to light that Mr Kirk was considered to be failing in his leadership and management duties in his department, an investigation was commenced.

“As a result of the school’s findings he was referred to the GTCE, which fully examined the evidence presented and upheld the school’s reported concerns. Mr Kirk left the school’s employment by mutual agreement in September 2009.”

Mr Kirk, who can apply to have the order revoked, was given 28 days to appeal the decision.