Teacher who lied about surgery to get time off work is banned for a year
A TEACHER who lied about needing surgery to take time off work at Plymouth College has been hit with a year-long ban from the classroom.
Music teacher Rebecca Swaysland, pictured above, has been suspended from the profession after the General Teaching Council (GTC) found her guilty of unacceptable professional conduct.
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Rebecca Swaysland
Ms Swaysland had been teaching at Plymouth College for just 14 months when she took time off work in March and April last year.
The Herald understands she told the school she was due to have surgery — and provided a letter of "proof" on request.
But the Mutley-based independent school later discovered that the letter was forged.
It initially launched its own investigation before the case was referred to the GTC, the country's professional body for teaching. Ms Swaysland went before the GTC's professional conduct committee on April 28, it has been revealed, although she did not attend the hearing in person.
It found that she had "fraudulently misrepresented" the reasons for her sickness absence.
The committee also found that Ms Swaysland had "continued to act dishonestly" during Plymouth College's investigation and disciplinary process.
The GTC's suspension order bans her from the classroom for a year, with immediate effect.
A spokesman for Plymouth College said it would be inappropriate for the school to comment on individual staff members.
Ms Swaysland was unavailable for comment last night.
Originally from Surrey, she has taught for 22 years and was herself educated privately at schools boasting a rich musical tradition.
Inspired by her late mother's love of classical music, Ms Swaysland picked up her first musical instrument at the age of three and later joined the National Youth Orchestra.
She went on to study music at the University of Manchester, King's College London and the Royal Academy of Music, also joining the London Philharmonic Choir.
She moved to Redruth, Cornwall, in October 2005 and took up a teaching job in the area, as well as working on GCSE, AS and A2 examination papers.
Ms Swaysland, who began working as a music teacher at Plymouth College in January 2008, is also the current musical director of the Treverna Male Voice Choir.
8 Comments
by xxxxx, Plymouth
Sunday, August 08 2010, 11:50PM
“This is not the first or possibly the last institution to be conned by this woman. This woman really should come with a public health warning!
"Continued to act dishonestly"
"Fraudulently misrepresented"
Not a truer word said............
A year is too lenient.........”
by paul, plymouth
Wednesday, May 12 2010, 2:04AM
“she not doing any thing wrong thousands of people do this every year just because shes a teacher whats wrong with that one rule for one its good enough for the rest”
by b.blagger, blagsville
Tuesday, May 11 2010, 9:39PM
“sicky sicky sicky”
by Pupil at Plymouth College, Plymouth
Tuesday, May 11 2010, 9:26PM
“Ms Swaysland was a great teacher and was always friendly and willing to help. She fitted in to the school community really well for the time she was there and it is a shame to see her go this way.
Good luck for the future Ms. Swaysland.”
by hutan, Thailand
Tuesday, May 11 2010, 4:15PM
“I wonder if we have the whole picture here. For example was she being hounded by her line manager and this was the only way she could get time away from her/him (probably a her....most workplace bullies are these days).”
by Ben, pennycomequick
Tuesday, May 11 2010, 1:58PM
“That was a silly thing to do wasn't it...”
by nigel, cornwall
Tuesday, May 11 2010, 11:06AM
“nice job to have, lie about something just get a ban and full pay no doubt, should be sacked”
by Martin, Mutley
Tuesday, May 11 2010, 8:08AM
“Just shows that you should take no employee at face value but double check everything. Sounds as though however that she was under great pressure and did not have the confidence to clear this up before she felt driven to duck and dive to support the lie.”