I'll teach again, vows head banned over her expenses

A former superhead banned from teaching for life today vowed to return to the profession because it is still her “passion”.

Jo Shuter, ex-head of Quintin Kynaston Academy in St John’s Wood, has been given permission to appeal against her ban, which was imposed after she wrongly claimed for a string of expenses.

Ms Shuter said that despite going through what she has described as “hell” — and being offered jobs outside education — she is determined to go back to teaching.

She said: “Teaching is my passion. I have always been completely passionate about disadvantaged young people.

“I didn’t think it would still be my passion but it is. It really inspires me and fires me up. I believe I have a vocation.”

Ms Shuter was given a lifetime ban, without the ability to appeal against it, after she admitted misconduct over allegations relating to her expenses.

They included spending around £7,000 on a 50th birthday party and claiming £8,269 for a hotel stay for the senior leadership team at the school.

But the department for education has now reversed its position, meaning she can try to overturn the ban in May 2016, two years after it was imposed.

Speaking to the Evening Standard, Ms Shuter said that she did not intend to do anything wrong and believes her integrity has been preserved. She said: “I realise I made some really terrible mistakes but they are mistakes.” On the subject of her future career, Ms Shuter, who has been doing consultancy work since she was banned from teaching, said: “I have had a lot of different things offered to me but my heart is always with kids.

“I still read about what’s going on in education. I believe in education and that it is the genuine route out of poverty.” She said that she was “over the moon” at the decision to allow her to apply for the teaching ban to be lifted and would try to get back into teaching as soon as possible.

But she added: “Who knows what will happen? My life has taught me I never know what is around the corner.”

A spokesman for the National College for Teaching and Leadership said: “Jo Shuter was prohibited from teaching in May and she remains unable to teach.

“Following an appeal, we have decided she can apply to have her prohibition order lifted after two years. She will be prevented from teaching indefinitely unless the Secretary of State and an NCTL panel agree the order should be set aside.”