Allegations of bullying and a "dictatorship culture" have emerged from Scotland's best-performing education authority.

Allegations of bullying and a "dictatorship culture" have emerged from Scotland's best-performing education authority.

A report detailing the results of a 2006 study into stress in East Renfrewshire and revealed yesterday shows that many teachers believe the pressure to keep producing high exam marks comes with a disregard for the wellbeing of staff.

Principal teachers' focus groups pointed to an "authoritarian and dictatorship culture", while class teachers reported a "dictatorial senior management style with no tolerance of dissent", and bullying was highlighted by principal teachers and support staff, the latter pointing the finger at the council.

Teachers at all levels complained that staff did not have a voice, and depute heads said staff felt unable to be honest and express differing views. Principal teachers reported "aggressive" responses to any questioning of a decision and a "fear of putting things in writing", while class teachers said senior management did not approve of employees going to their trade union.

There was a sense that, so desperate was the council to be seen as one of the best education authorities, the wellbeing of staff was sacrificed and results were prioritised over high-quality teaching.

Teachers identified a "strong feeling" that the council was interested only in "achievement of targets and not in the quality of teaching". It had an ethos of "results at all costs", leading to a "feeling of failing children" among teachers.

However, the council vigorously denied there was a bullying culture and insisted it was already tackling the problems identified in the report, revealed in the Times Educational Supplement Scotland.

A council spokesman said: "We would absolutely refute bullying as a persistent or pervasive workplace problem. While there may have been instances of bullying, this was not part of a culture that ran through the council."

He stressed that school staff attendance rates were among the highest in Scotland, and the authority had a relatively low number of grievances.