Simon was suspended from the secondary school, where he had taught since he had qualified, after a female pupil made an allegation of inappropriate conduct against him. Four weeks later, the allegation was dropped when the girl admitted she had lied because she had not liked a mark Simon had given her. It took another 12 weeks before Simon could go back to school.

Mr A was questioned by the police after he was accused of beating a child in his class. The police let Mr A go when they realised the allegation was false and the student "had planned with mates which teacher he would target". Mr A went back to school, but resigned a week later, because "life is just too short".

Annie was so distressed when she found out that she was under investigation after another member of staff had made an allegation against her that she could not work. She lost her confidence and trust in all her colleagues and now faces a formal meeting with the head, despite being adamant that the abuse she was accused of never happened.

These are just a few of the stories from teachers who have contacted Teacher Support Network (TSN) after an allegation has been made against them. These are not their real names. Their names have been changed to protect their anonymity, but we will come back to that later.

Unfortunately, Simon, Mr A and Annie are not alone. In 2010, there were 20 incidents (calls or emails) of teachers asking the charity for support. In 2011, this figure rose to 78 incidents. That's a 290 per cent increase in one year.

Why there has been such a significant increase in these kinds of allegations is not immediately clear. A closer look at the TSN figures indicates a large rise in the number of pupils making allegations against their teachers.

In 2010, the majority of incidents (six) related to allegations by a manager, with just three incidents linked to pupils. In 2011 though, the number of incidents of teachers facing an allegation by a pupil rises to 31, with allegations by managers rising to ten.

Yet, this does not explain why there has been an increase. One teacher, commenting on a TSN behaviour forum suggests that it could be that pupils are more aware of their rights thanks to government policy that "favours the rights of pupils" and high profile cases such as the Peter Harvey case.

"No wonder then we have pupils coming to school with an attitude of 'I know what my rights are' and you teachers are here to dance and jump to my whims," he comments on the forum.

While the cause for the increase may be unclear, the impact of these allegations on teachers' lives is clear. TSN knows from the teachers it speaks to through its Support Lines that these kinds of allegations not only cause severe emotional distress and anxiety, but also undermine confidence, have long-term mental health implications and may drive some teachers from the profession entirely.

Simon, for instance, has returned to work, but is looking for a new job as he feels let down by his school. Mrs H, another teacher, who was "kicked and punched" by her pupil, then the next day shouted at and blamed by the pupil's parent, tells us "I am now ready to leave the profession".

Yet, these allegations do not just wreck careers, but also the lives of the teachers, their families and the reputation of the schools where they work.

This is perhaps why 93 per cent of respondents to the TSN 2010 Behaviour Survey felt that anonymity for teachers was important or essential and why it is such a crucial part of the Government's Education Bill.

"I am not saying we would advocate a system where parents and children could not raise their concerns about teachers," says Julian Stanley, TSN Group Chief Executive. "Nor am I saying that it is not appropriate for MPs such as Graham Stuart, Chairman of The Education Committee, to question why teachers should not be treated in the same way as other professionals, but any complaints process must also protect the innocence and reputation of teachers at risk of malicious and unfounded allegations if it is to be fair."

In the meantime, TSN believes that until the Government's new protections come into force and while allegations are on the increase, teachers need to know where to get support if an allegation is made against them.

"We know from the teachers that we talk to that those that seek emotional support as well as the appropriate union support are far better equipped to deal with the emotional fallout from allegations," explains Julian Stanley, adding:

"In short, when faced with an allegation, your first call should be to your union. Your second call should be to Teacher Support Network." 

If you are facing an allegation and need support, call 08000 562 561 *England) or 08000 855 088 (Wales), or email an advisor here.

We cannot continue supporting teachers facing an allegation, without your help.  You may have already received a letter asking for a donation, but we cannot stress enough what your money can mean for a teacher facing an allegation.

A one off gift of £25 will pay for one of the counselling sessions a teacher needs during the allegation process. 

A regular gift of £2 per month will help us to give ongoing support for up to a year to help a teacher cleared of an allegation get back to work or find a new job.  

To make a donation, click here, or to text donate, send TSNE11 (England) or TSCY11 (Wales), followed by the amount i.e. £10 to 70070.

This article was originally published in The Supporter magazine.  If you would like to find out more about the magazine or to subscribe to the mailing list, click here.