Weymouth Supply Teacher Banned After Telling Pupil “No One Would Miss Him If He Was Shot”

A supply teacher who worked at Budmouth Academy in Weymouth has been banned from the classroom after making highly inappropriate comments to a pupil and striking them with a booklet.

Carolyn Akers, 53, was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) following incidents that took place between June 2019 and February 2020 while she was working as a science teacher at the Weymouth secondary school.

According to the disciplinary report, Ms Akers told a pupil: “If you took him outside and shot him, no one would miss him.” She also told the same pupil that he “would be transgender when he is older,” and called him “stupid” and “wet.” The panel heard that she hit the pupil on the head with a booklet during a lesson.

In addition to the classroom behaviour, the investigation found that Ms Akers had failed to disclose previous safeguarding concerns investigated by a Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) when applying for a new role at another school. She was also found to have given misleading information about why she left a previous position.

The TRA panel concluded that her conduct “fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession” and that her actions “had the potential to cause emotional harm.” The decision stated that such behaviour “would be likely to bring the teaching profession into disrepute.”

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan accepted the panel’s recommendation and issued a prohibition order, meaning Ms Akers is barred from teaching in England with immediate effect. She will not be eligible to apply for the ban to be lifted until October 2029.

The case has raised concerns locally about how supply staff are monitored and vetted in Dorset schools. Budmouth Academy has since reviewed its safeguarding and staff-management procedures.

A Department for Education spokesperson said the decision “demonstrates that unprofessional behaviour of this nature will not be tolerated in schools.”

The full Teaching Regulation Agency decision, published on 30 October 2025, is available via the Department for Education’s website.