COUNTY DURHAM DEPUTY HEAD BITES AND SCRATCHES CHILD BUT ESCAPES TEACHING BAN

A deputy head teacher at Red Rose Primary School in Chester-le-Street has been involved in a violent incident with a student. The teacher, Claire Herbert, was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct after biting, scratching, and slapping a pupil during an argument that turned physical on June 18, 2022. According to a Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) tribunal, the child suffered reddening, bruises, and injuries including bite marks to her hand and head, along with scratches. The tribunal revealed that when police visited the scene three days after the incident, the girl reported that Miss Herbert caused two bite marks and called her fat. Photographs of the child's injuries depicted red marks, scratches, and bruising across her face, neck, leg, and hand. The incident appeared to take place outside the school and was noted to involve alcohol. In October 2022, Miss Herbert admitted to all allegations in an email, describing the incident as a 'blur.' She had worked at the school since April 2019 and served as deputy safeguarding lead. She accepted a conditional police caution for common assault in December 2022. Despite her conduct, the TRA panel decided she should not be permanently banned from teaching, citing her otherwise unblemished record, evidence of genuine remorse, positive character references, and her contribution to education. The panel emphasized that this was an isolated incident, and her insight and remorse limited the risk of recurrence. An acting on behalf of the Education Secretary, Marc Cavey, stated that the limited risk of repetition was due to her remorse and the circumstances, leading to the decision not to ban her.