A TEACHER'S lesson plans were so bad they were "affecting pupils' life chances", a hearing was told.

Janice Ross, who taught on Barra in the Western Isles, allegedly made pupils read out loud from books for "weeks at a time".

She is also said to have embarrassed and upset pupils by making a reference to condom manufacture, having "teacher's pets" and reading exam results out to the whole class.

Pupils at Castlebay School reported the English department, of which Mrs Ross was head, to a local councillor.

Mrs Ross, who was sacked by Western Isles Council, faces dozens of charges from the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) relating to her conduct and competence.

She did not attend the start of a disciplinary hearing this week, and was not represented, but said she "refutes" the allegations.

The head of children's services at Western Isles Council, Bernard Chisholm, told the hearing he was called in to help the school in 2008 following a damning inspection report.

He told the GTCS panel: "In my opinion this was all affecting the pupils' life chances."

The hearing, before a panel chaired by Dr Kerr Wilson, continues.