Susan Barnard appeared before the General Teaching Council Scotland, The Scotsman reported. She had been fired by the Perth and Kinross Council after her supervisors said that between 2003 and 2006 she had been unable to discipline her students "fairly, sensitively and consistently" or to draw up coherent lesson plans.

The case was the first in which the council has considered a teacher's general ability to do the job.

Her lawyer said that Barnard hopes to present mitigating evidence that will allow her to continue working as a substitute when she appears before the council in December for a penalty hearing.

"Clearly she's extremely concerned about what the future holds for her," Andrew Gibb said.

Gibb said that Barnard taught in New Zealand during the 1970s and resumed the work years later after moving to Scotland.