The outcome of the TRA hearing will no doubt be read by many. The Hearing lasted five weeks. The Panel was made up of two Head teachers, Louisa Munton, Aruna Sharma and Chair, Paul Hawkins.Those reading the judgement will be unaware of the truth behind this story. Truth matters and it is for this reason I will not give up on what has been the hardest seven years of my life.

Throughout my time in Headship, I never received complaints from staff or unions about bullying. There were never any grievances or complaints over ten years. Some of the witnesses in this case returned to the school. In December 2015, I resigned due to toxic social media being platformed in the local press.  One newspaper, even had to make a plea about posting ‘abusive messages.’

In August 2016 Bath & North East Somerset Council referred me to the TRA (formerly NCTL). I defended the false allegations for a year.  In June 2017 the NCTL wrote to me stating that “after considering the information provided it was the decision of the panel that the NCTL should close this matter with no further action.” One of the reasons given for dismissing the case was 

“Those witnesses identified as potential witnesses to the allegations and who may be prepared to give evidence against Ms Hart appear to be a tight knit group who have all contributed to a Facebook page which contained material unfavourable to Ms Hart. The Panel noted that Ms Hart was suing a key witness who was relevant to the allegations who was involved with the Facebook page.”

In March 2017 Andrew Woolley of the National Education Union referred me to the TRA. Each time I rebutted the allegations the TRA chose and were allowed to amend them. The original set even contained maternity related allegations from staff who had never been pregnant!

The NUT made the referral within two months of me successfully suing one of their members for defamation which resulted in a public apology in Court.  During the course of this referral, I won a Judicial Review in 2019 against the Secretary of State for Education, Damian Hinds. 

The extraordinary lengths that the TRA have gone to over five years warrants a separate blog in itself. Their own witnesses have been bullied and manipulated into appearing, this was clear at the Hearing. In order to avoid giving live evidence at the Hearing four witnesses provided medical notes which resulted in the TRA attempting to have their evidence included as hearsay. Many of their own witnesses repeatedly asked to be withdrawn from the investigation, the TRA even had to obtain a summons from the Court forcing one witness to attend the Hearing. Three TRA witnesses were allowed to give their evidence via video on the grounds that they were considered vulnerable, two of these three were active members of the vile Facebook groups I refer to below.

It was reported in the Independent newspaper that I am suing Bath and North East Somerset Local Authority and the NEU (formerly the NUT). Despite a request to stay the TRA proceedings, until my Conspiracy to Injure claim is heard before a Judge in the High Court, the Panel decided that the TRA Hearing should take place first. Regardless of the TRA’s outcome, I will continue with this litigation in my pursuit of the truth and all that happened to me.

In 2015 three Facebook groups were set up.  The Downfall of Mrs Hart, Official Trinity Triumph and Trinity Triumph. The postings made to these groups came into the possession of the TRA in June 2019, some of which I have listed below.

It is difficult to argue that these postings do not contain material unfavourable to me. The postings were written by former and current members of Trinity staff. Cally and Stacey were the NUT’s representatives at the school. Of the witnesses called by the TRA to give evidence against me, at least twelve were active members of these Facebook groups.

The TRA discontinued the initial B&NES (LA) referral because witnesses contributed to a Facebook page containing material unfavourable to me. Given the almost identical set of circumstances why have the TRA not discontinued the NEU referral? The TRA’s lack of consistency in its decision making is astonishing.

During the course of the five-week Hearing, the witnesses did not recall being part of the initial referral against me in 2016. Indeed, the panel went to great lengths to ensure that no mention of this initial referral was made. My barrister even made an application to submit transcripts of some of these same witnesses being interviewed as part of the initial referral. This was denied by the panel. 

Why, during this hearing did the panel go to great lengths to ensure that the previous referral against me was ignored?  Some of the same witnesses in this referral are repeating the same allegations made in the initial 2016 LA referral. 

The following is a small sample taken from hundreds of pages of postings from Official Trinity Triumph and Trinity Triumph Facebook group.

These postings were made in secret, whilst I was still the Head teacher of Trinity School. The Facebook is also edited with huge chunks redacted.

Cathy - “I can’t wait to take this horrible woman down!”

Rachel - “What I would do just to all turn up and attack her verbally”

Charlotte - "Hopefully she’ll leave because of this or be forced to leave in which case she will struggle to get a job in education again”

Cathy - "I know its only a small victory guys but please lets remember that we’ve forced her out of her school, her pride and joy and I’m taking that as some justice ……stay positive girls, we’ve pushed her out of her favourite place in the world”

Cathy - “If it goes to press then even better as we stop her being in the profession anymore”

Charlotte - “How amazing that she has been forced to leave because of this!!”

Jas - “I know its amazing!!”

Jas - “Wonder if we can get deputy heads to go with her!!!!!”

Cally - “I agree Charlotte. I imagine us all there with a huge banner but with big smiles! A proper fuck you haha”

Stacey - “WHEN we strike it would be amazing to have you there (obv if you can!) I intend to stand there with her three fucking bees, it will take all of my willpower not to shove them up her bloody arse!!”

Rachel - “Hahahaa I love that A LOT”

Sarah - “When is it coming out in the press? I wonder if we can get Donna Grantham to hint about whats happening to the parents”

Charlotte - “I’m drinking prosecco in celebration of her resignation”

Sarah - “Yeah once a few of the gossipers know it’ll get around quick”

Stacey - “For those who have people wanting to contact the press, these are the contacts : Alex Brown at the Chron. DAVE IS NOT contacting the press. I can’t put why into writing, but we are to go ahead as normal and contact them. So Sharon, if you wanted to send your doc onto the press, to Alex, that would be great. As far as I can understand Dave isn’t allowed to pass out grievances onto the press, but WE are! I know that’s cryptic but hope you can read around the lines on that”

Eunice (Cindy) - “She may then be forced to resign (we’re not sure if she really has) and potentially not work in education again. (That’s what happened to the last head Dave worked with)”

Eunice (Cindy) - "Suzanne Norbury. She is the journalist for the guardian and the chronicle they are sister companies xx”

Natasha - “Hi ladies, more than happy to send my grievance with name now. Cindy, do you have an email for Suzan? Xx”

Jas- "Hey ladies, here’s the number of the evening post if we wanted to go to another paper!”

Jas - "Yeah I really think we should go to everyone possible !! Need to get her out! We should go to the evening post too!”

Rachel - “Oh em gee what a c**t”

Cathy - “Donna just sent this” - Apparently Mandy, Grimm, Rach H, Becki and Rach J said that if Pepe leaves so will they!!”

Jas - “they all need to go ! Their all the bullies!! Xx”

Cally - “I wish it was them leaving cause they wouldn’t get jobs anywhere else”

Cathy - “My head teacher just saw the article and said he is in full support. This article is amazing and hopefully will get the ball rolling xxx” Well done girls xxx”

Natasha - "Charlotte would your sister consider copying and pasting the link into the bath chronicle site ? Could be good to spread across media?”

Stacey - “I think it’s a good idea to leave TA’s out of it. I don’t trust them as far as I could throw them, bar Ola. Jules actively contributed to my bullying when I was pregnant”

Cally - “Oh I can’t wait to stir on the playground tomorrow”

Cally - “Presseco at the ready for when she gets wheeled out in a jacket”

Eunice (Cindy)- “They can all go to the secret parents meeting tomorrow and complain to all those people”

Sarah - “Yes we really need to get her on this. I posted mine last week although its very small compared to some points that were said. Cannot believe she is teaching your class!!!!!! We NEED to get her out !!!!”

Cally - “Bits here and there, they are happy to come on strike day whenever that happens. They truly love us all”

Jas - “He said we should try and get some of the children to strike with us !!”

Stacey - “I’m listening to her now. Want to punch her”

Lyn - “I just wanted to say to you all that I would advise caution in making public reactions and comments about todays programme and about Pepe and the school – she is goading and trying to distract away from the real issues”

Lyn - “If the investigations were compromised in any way during this very critical time, then she could end up getting away with it”

Cally - “Come so far might as well go the whole hog till Christmas and see the bitch walk out the door ! Hate to miss that”

Jas - “Aw we’ve got to Cally !! As much as it terrifies me to go in we’ve got to be there to see her get escorted off the premises”

Cally - “That really would be a birthday gift for me escorting her off premises”

Katy - “ Is there any ex staff that would be willing to join a group of current staff and the BBC tomorrow 10am for an interview. They will record one or two of us and will black out our faces and change our voices. They will also spend time with us editing the cuts to ensure that we are happy with it. We will probably be meeting at Dave’s house”

Some of these people were in their first term of employment at Trinity and I have calculated that I would have had contact with them for approximately 22 days. These teachers were new to the school in September 2015.

It is distressing to read the vile comments posted to these groups. Under cross examination David Biddleston, NEU District Secretary stated that the conduct displayed by members of the Facebook groups amounted to “youthful exuberance.”

I cannot comprehend why the TRA has not taken their own action against the teachers involved in the Facebook groups. Instead, not only have they failed to act, but the TRA brought forward many of these teachers to give evidence against me.

These people are teachers. The TRA listened to them and have presented them as credible witnesses. The TRA even found an additional two of their witnesses via disclosure of the Facebook groups.

As many of you know, the TRA have refused to disclose the tapes of the five week hearing. When submitting our request my barrister was willing to make an undertaking that he would retain the recordings for his own personal use during the course of the hearing and not disclose the recordings or copies to any other person or allow them to be played in the presence of any other person. However, despite receiving this undertaking the TRA stated

“it remains a risk the video footage may nevertheless potentially through no fault of Mr Smith (my barrister), end up circulated more widely and published online. We consider the impact of this would be highly prejudicial to this and future Panels, in conducting their above functions. This is for reasons that video footage , compared to a transcript, can be more easily manipulated online including having the potential to being used to mock, humiliate and/or harass those who appear in the footage. Any vilification of tribunal Panel members or witnesses, in connection with the video footage could make it difficult to appoint Panels or obtain witness evidence in future, and/or inappropriately influence those taking part in disciplinary proceedings to moderate their participation, with the risk of potential video disclosure, and associated online reception, in mind.”

Given the undertaking from my barrister how would any of the above be possible? If only he has access to the audio recordings, how could they end up being circulated more widely and published online? What is there to hide?

Including the initial referral, I have been under investigation for a total of seven years. I have challenged and exposed the TRA system for what it is. The vast sums of public money ploughed into this nonsense of a case had to be justified somehow.

In August 2022 a friend and supporter made a Freedom of Information request asking for the total cost of the TRA’s investigations into me. To date, the TRA have not provided this information.

I put my faith in to an education system that I know I gave every ounce of myself. I wanted to serve others and make a difference. I know I did this, sometimes at the expense of my own family.

No one can change what has happened, but change can happen if people really want it to.

To all those who have followed and supported over the years, I am forever grateful. I will continue to speak out.

I am grateful for the kind words of encouragement. Social media can be toxic, it can destroy people.

I will prepare myself for what comes next, nothing can be worse than what they have already done to me.