Headteacher who took a trip to Cuba during term time banned from schools

Ian McCann took an eight-day trip in 2015 to participate in a charity bike ride around the country despite being refused leave by school governors

Ian McCann was the head teacher at Rosewood Primary School in Burnley (Google Maps)

A headteacher who took a trip to Cuba during term time has been banned from the profession for at least three years.

Ian McCann took an eight-day trip in 2015 to participate in a charity bike ride around the country despite being refused leave by school governors.

The headteacher of Rosewood Primary School in Lancashire apparently handed over a note from his GP which said he was not fit to work due to a “stress-related problem”.

The 59-year-old had made a written request for unpaid leave on two occasions but had both requests refused, ITV News reported.

He claimed he been suffering from stress-related issues due to challenging behaviour from pupils at the school and the death of his father.

A misconduct panel was told that Mr McCann had spent £2,000 as a deposit for the trip and told a colleague he intended to go "regardless of the consequences”.

“It had always been the intention of Mr McCann to go on the cycle trip to Cuba during the autumn term of 2015 irrespective of the decisions of the governing body in March and April 2015 refusing his request for authorised leave of absence,” the panel concluded.

Mr McCann had previously spoken out about the incident and said the trip to Cuba was related to his father dying of cancer.

“The location and timing of the charity event were outside of my control but were poignant and personal to my grieving over the loss of my father to cancer,” Mr McCann said in a letter to the Lancashire Telegraph.

“I never meant the negative impact which ensued and I am truly sorry for this.”

Mr McCann has been given a prohibition order and told he can apply to have it reviewed in three years.