A TEACHER has been cleared of leaking information to pupils about an exam and writing 'hun town' in class notes.

However Jim Beattie, who teaches modern studies at Our Lady and St Patrick's High School in Dumbarton, admitted having a 'Free Derry' Christmas card in the classroom as well as a mug with an image of IRA activist Bobby Sands.

The teacher agreed that it was inappropriate to have the items in the classroom, "particularly within a school based in the West of Scotland."

Mr Beattie was investigated by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) after facing a number of allegations.

Allegations that he used prior knowledge of the content in a 2014 modern studies exam to advise pupils on the areas to study and that he used the sectarian slur “hun” in his notes, were declared not proven.

A teacher reported that during a CPD development day at the school, he had seen handwritten notes on the teacher’s desk, one of which included the term “hun town”.

Mr Beattie accepted during interview that he had made this note but was adamant that it was made a different time, was in his bag and that it had no connection to the development day.

However, he admitted contacting pupils through his personal email address and sharing “inappropriate” Irish music with a probationary teacher.

GTCS published their findings on Friday after his hearing ended last month.

The watchdog stated in a report: “The panel found that there was no current impairment of fitness to teach.”

It read that Mr Beattie had expressed “his sense of deep regret at having gone through the disciplinary process and expressed considerable remorse for his actions”.

The probe was launched by Laura Mason, chief education officer at Dumbarton Academy after pupils raised concern that members of his class had been given unfair advantage during the 2014 exam.