A FORMER religious education teacher at York's Catholic secondary school has been found guilty of "serious professional incompetence".

The General Teaching Council found Gareth Child failed to provide effective leadership when he was head of RE at All Saints' RC School between March 2004 and July 2005.

Among a list of failings, the council found Mr Child had failed to properly organise the school's own Easter service.

Bill Scriven, head teacher, described Mr Child as a "well-respected individual". He said he was no longer teaching in the area.

The General Teaching Council's professional conduct committee, sitting in Birmingham, found Mr Child had:

* Failed to communicate effectively with staff in his department and other colleagues.

* Failed to organise the Easter service in March 2004 effectively.

* Failed to ensure the AS Level philosophy and ethics group were properly prepared for the summer 2005 exams.

* Failed to manage and lead the teaching of other staff in the department effectively.

All Saints' caters for 1,102 pupils on a split site at Nunnery Lane and Mill Mount.

One parent, whose 16-year-old boy goes to the school, but did not want to be named, said: "It's good to know that when issues like this do arise they are taken seriously, because many parents send their children to All Saints' because of its religious connection and ethos.

"I am not familiar with Mr Child, but I have to say All Saints' has brought the best out in my son, and both he and I have nothing but praise for the teaching staff."

The committee imposed a series of conditions on Mr Child's teaching for five years.

The conditions state that, for a period of three years, Mr Child cannot hold a post of greater seniority than a classroom teacher.

Once those three years are up, they stipulate that he shall not hold any teaching post with management responsibility for other staff or a curriculum subject area unless and until he has provided to the registrar of the General Teaching Council satisfactory evidence of completion of a training course covering management and supervisory skills.

Mr Scriven said: "Mr Child is a well-respected individual who worked at All Saints' and has gone through this capability procedure that's now finished. We wish him every success in his new career.

"He is not teaching in this area, he is in a different type of school with different types of children."