'A' v Nottinghamshire County Council
Primary school teacher sacked for refusing to 'socially transition' pupil claims unfair dismissal
Ex-primary school teacher, referred to as ‘A’ (for legal reasons) is bringing an employment tribunal against her former employer, a primary school, and Nottinghamshire County Council, claiming unfair dismissal. The Claimant was previously referred to as ‘Hannah’ but the case has been renamed.
In her sixth year at the school,'A' alleges that before the start of term she was ordered by the headteacher to 'socially transition' an 8-year-old girl under the guidance of controversial LGBT charity Stonewall.
Supported by her parents, the ‘social transition’ involved the girl being permitted to wear boy's uniform, access boy's toilets and changing facilities, with ‘A’ expected to call the girl a boy's name, use male pronouns, and attempt to keep the girl’s sex a secret from other pupils.
‘A’ alleges she was unsettled by the situation, concerned for the welfare of both the girl and other pupils and raised the matter as a safeguarding issue.
‘A’ claims she was victimised for whistleblowing and unfairly dismissed in 2022.
Status
The case was heard at Nottingham employment tribunal from Tuesday 19th March 2024, but collapsed on Day 6 after A’s lawyer, Pavel Stroilov, applied for recusal of panel member, Jed Purkis.
Following comments discovered on Mr Purkis’ social media, Mr Stroilov suggested Mr Purkis held “a view which expressly advocates for religious discrimination in public life” and after a judicial conduct investigation, it was ruled in August 2024 that Mr Purkis’ comments amounted to misconduct.
The case will restart on Tuesday 4th March 2025.
Abbreviations
J - Judge VC Butler
P - Panel members
Claimant
H, A or C - claimant
PS - Pavel Stroilov representing C
Respondent
NCC - Nottingham County Council (employer)
GR - Geoff Russell, Counsel for R
EB - Ed Beever, Counsel for R
RC - Respondents Counsel
Witnesses
CA - Chair of Appeal, witness for respondents or Chair of Appeal Panel
MC - Miss Christian, HR of NCC
Additional abbreviations
X or Child X - child involved
H or HT - Headteacher
DH or DHT - Deputy headteacher
LADO - Local Authority Designated Officer
CLC - Christian Law Centre
SL - Safeguarding Lead
DSL - Designated Safeguarding Lead
CoC - Code of Conduct
EA10 - Equality Act 2010
GR - Gender Reassignment
PC - Protected Characteristic
CPOMS - Child Protection Online Monitoring Safeguarding System
KCSIE - ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’, statutory guidance
DPP - Data Protection Policy
DHP - Data Handling Policy
WS - Witness Statement
JR - Judicial Review
LA - Local Authority
IX - Investigation
CoA - Court of Appeal
HoL - House of Lords
GI - Gender Identity
IX(O) Ix Officer
RSE – Relationships and Sex Education
SG – Safeguarding
SL – Sarah Lee, Tackling Emerging Threats to Children
DfE – Department for Education
SW – Stonewall
CoG – Chair of Governors
ET – EqualiTeach
Xian - Christian
RtW - Return to Work
Sx - suspension
TRA - Teachers Reg Authority
WB - whistleblowing
PD - protected disclosure
H&S health & safety
WPUK - Women’s Place UK
FPFW - Fair Play For Women
GD - gender dysphoria
GAC - Gender affirming care
PBs - Puberty blockers
DD direct discrimination
MM - Mermaids
1. Live-tweeting sessions of First hearing which collapsed due to panel misconduct in March 2024
19th March 2024 morning session
19th March 2024 afternoon session
20th March 2024 morning session Part 1 & Part 2 - Counsel for the Respondent, Geoff Russell, begins examining the claimant’s evidence
20th March 2024 afternoon session Part 1 & Part 2 - Geoff Russell continues examining the claimant’s evidence
21st March 2024 morning session Part 1 & Part 2
21st March 2024 afternoon session Part 1 & Part 2
22nd March 2024 morning session Part 1 & Part 2
2. Live Tweeting sessions of Hearing restarted March 2025
[Abbreviations that differ from collapsed employment tribunal
J - Employment Judge Peter McTigue
RC - Respondent’s counsel
A - Claimant ]
4th March 2025 morning session - Part 1 (only) - The session began with successful recusal application on a panel member
4th March 2025 afternoon ssession - Part one (only)
5th March 2025 morning session - Part one and part two
5th March 2025 afternoon session - Part one and part two
6th March 2025 morning session -Part one and part two
6th March 2025 afternoon session - Part one only
7th March 2025 morning session - Part one and part two
7th March 2025 afternoon session - Part one and part two
Press coverage
Here are links to a selection of relevant press coverage about this case. These links are included without comment and are not endorsed by Tribunal Tweets. This is a sample of coverage only, with most recent first - it is not comprehensive. Please DM our main Twitter account to submit coverage from an established news outlet. Any paywalled article must be archived.
6th March 2025
5th March 2025
BBC - Christian teacher 'sacked after pupil pronouns row'
Telegraph - Teacher sacked over using ‘wrong pronoun’ says child put on ‘path to self-destruction’
4th March 2025
Christian concern - Teacher sacked for trans safeguarding concerns begins re-trial
28 March 2024
Nottingham Post - Teacher 'determined to pursue justice' amid transgender row as tribunal halted
26 March 2024
Daily Mail - Tribunal over Christian teacher sacked in trans row collapses after panel member makes 'prejudiced' online comments
The Times - Teacher’s trans row tribunal collapses over anti-Tory slurs
GB News - Trans row tribunal COLLAPSES after panel makes 'prejudiced' comments about sacked Christian teacher
20 March 2024
Nottinghamshire Live: Tribunal starts into primary school teacher's sacking after opposing trans child
19th March 2024
Christian News - Employment tribunal hears case of teacher sacked after raising concerns about school's trans policy
18 March 2024
Free Speech Union - Teacher sacked after refusing to treat eight-year-old biological female as a boy over welfare concerns
17 March 2024
Express - Teacher sacked for refusing to treat pupil as boy explains reason ahead of court showdown
16 March 2024
Daily Mail - Teacher 'sacked after refusing to treat eight-year-old as a boy' over concerns for child's welfare
27 Oct 2022
Mirror - Midlands teacher who refused to call transgender pupil boy's name appeals sacking