A primary school teacher who was struck off after convincing her pupils she had terminal cancer before faking her own death is still working with children, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
The Elaborate Deception
Lara Simpson, 26, was described as Britain's cruellest teacher after investigators ruled she had carried out a 'chronic and elaborate deception' on staff and pupils at a primary school in Dundee. Despite her astonishing web of lies that traumatised children, teaching regulators allowed her identity to remain secret until now.
The former teacher's extraordinary scheme began as she was about to graduate from Dundee University with a first-class degree in Primary Education in May 2021. She started concocting an elaborate ruse, pretending she had leukaemia to staff and pupils at a local primary school where she had completed her student placement.
Over a two-year period, Simpson maintained her deception using multiple disguises including wearing a wig, using crutches, and inserting a breathing tube - none of which she actually needed. In one particularly brazen incident, she appeared with a prosthetic leg while sitting in a wheelchair.
She created a fake 'Stand Up 2 Cancer' video and sent it to former colleagues, while regularly emailing P6 pupils with updates about her fictional cancer treatment. Staff and children were subjected to distressing stories about bogus operations, leg amputations, medical trials, intensive care stays, and doctors claiming she had only six months to live.
The Deception Escalates
In 2022, less than a year into her scam, Simpson told ex-colleagues her cancer was incurable and that she planned to use her final months to get married. She later invited colleagues to the fictional wedding, asked a pupil to be her bridesmaid, and even sent the girl a dress for the occasion.
The deception reached its peak in March 2023 when Simpson pretended to be her own aunt and emailed colleagues with the ultimate lie - that cancer had claimed her life. Posing as relatives, she provided a forwarding address for grieving colleagues to send gifts, gave details about her 'death', and requested tributes for her funeral.
Despite having claimed to have a leg amputated and subsequently died, Simpson was later pictured participating in running events. Her con unravelled when she moved back to her hometown of Thurso and joined a local Parkrun group in summer 2023.
Continuing to Work With Children
Despite being struck off the teaching register for at least two years by the General Teaching Council Scotland (GTCS), Simpson continues to run LAS Dance Collective, offering numerous classes for children as young as three. Some classes take place in a primary school, and her business has been promoted by Highland Council's leisure organisation Highlife Highland.
Shockingly, Simpson managed to continue teaching in mainstream schools for nearly two years after faking her own death. She only left her teaching position with Highland Council earlier this year after watchdogs ruled she should be removed from the register.
Her website claims she has attended 'Child Wellbeing and Protection in Sport' courses and is about to undertake Child Welfare and Protection Officer Training. It also states she is 'fully insured and PVG checked'.
When confronted by The Mail on Sunday about her actions, Simpson initially denied any knowledge before stating 'no comment' when asked why she pretended to have cancer to school children and their teachers.
A former colleague expressed outrage, telling this newspaper: 'Everyone who knows her has been left gobsmacked and angry over her complete disregard for the truth. This woman should never be allowed to be in charge of children.'
Highland Council refused to explain why Simpson was allowed to use a school for dance classes or why her business was promoted by a primary school given her previous conduct. However, hours after being contacted by this newspaper, the primary school removed all mention of Simpson's business from its social media pages.
