红桃影视

A government academy troubleshooter has been banned from teaching after 鈥渂ullying” staff with “vicious and venomous” language and telling them their mortgages depended on performance. 

Sarah Gillett, former chief executive at ACE Schools Multi Academy Trust, was also found by the to have been dishonest about holding a Master鈥檚 degree.

Gillett, pictured, was the CEO of the alternative provision trust between June 2016 and July 2019. The trust made a referral to the TRA in September 2019 after concerns were raised about her conduct.

ACE was previously brought in by the government to help with school improvement at three pupil referral units run by the scandal-hit Schools Company Trust in 2017 before they were rebrokered.

In 2019, the trust was also considered as a potential sponsor to take over three Steiner academies and the Glendinning House Special Free School, in Devon.

The TRA panel decision document, published today, said Gillett was “a highly skilled and driven individual”, but there were certain aspects of her leadership style that the witnesses stated were 鈥渦nacceptable and amounted to bullying鈥�. 

CEO used ‘vicious and venomous’ language

One witness alleged Gillett said she would “get rid鈥� of a staff member who had complained about her, and also said 鈥渞evenge is sweet鈥�.

The panel found Gillett had threatened the dismissal of the witness and 鈥渆ngineered鈥� his redundancy 鈥渋n retaliation鈥� for the grievance. 

The TRA panel also found Gillett told staff they had let ACE down and were wasting taxpayers鈥� money when a school achieved a 鈥榞ood鈥� rather than 鈥榦utstanding鈥� Ofsted grade. 

A witness said Gillett told staff their mortgages were depending on staff performance. The panel found it was likely Gillett told staff 鈥淚 love ya, but I am coming for ya鈥� and that she wanted to dismiss staff 鈥渨ho had let you down鈥� during meetings. 

One witness said Gillett said to them that 鈥渋f you don鈥檛 make [person] redundant I will and then the trust would decide whether or not your school needs a head teacher or not鈥�, which the panel found was likely to be true.

Another witness said during a middle managers meeting in March 2019, Gillett said if staff did not like working for the trust then 鈥渨e can all fuck off鈥�. Several years earlier, she had previously allegedly said staff were 鈥渦seless fuckers鈥�.

The panel found it likely Gillett 鈥渁ggressively responded鈥� to staff members if concerns were raised and created an environment where 鈥渟taff felt they were not able to raise concerns鈥�. 

Witnesses said Gillett used words that were 鈥渧icious鈥�, 鈥渧enomous鈥� and threatening. 

But she likely displayed 鈥渘epotism鈥� towards others, by asking a staff member to change a classroom observation rating for one employee.

Gillett demonstrated ‘bullying behaviour’

Gillett did admit how she 鈥渋nappropriately鈥� told one person they were 鈥渢iresome鈥�, 鈥渋mmature and plain petty鈥� after they asked for training and support. She had expressed remorse about this but tried to 鈥渏ustify the circumstances that led to her sending it鈥�. 

While Gillett denied being a bully, the panel found she chose to 鈥渁vert blame on to others for her wrong doing鈥�. They said her behaviour more likely than not 鈥渃onstituted bullying鈥�. 

Gillett also enrolled on a master鈥檚 course in education in 2016-17 but withdrew before completing the qualification.

The panel said she knew her CV incorrectly stated she held the qualification and knew 鈥渢hat misleading information had been placed on the trust鈥檚 website and communicated鈥� to the Department of Education. 

Four further allegations were found not proven. These included favouritism towards an apprentice, and showing nepotism by allowing a person to not comply with a fire drill.

The panel concluded Gillett had demonstrated 鈥渂ullying behaviour and also acted dishonestly鈥�. 

鈥淭he witnesses called by the TRA recalled to the panel about the adverse impact of Mrs Gillett’s behaviour on their health and wellbeing.鈥� 

The government banned Gillett from teaching indefinitely. She can apply for this to be revoked in five years time.

Gillett declined to comment when approached by Schools Week.

In 2020, Schools Week reported how spending “weaknesses” were found at the trust amid an “overuse of petty cash”.