Teaching assistant slapped young child' in class where staff 'were kicked and spat at'

Experienced teaching assis-

- By ABBIE WIGHTWICK

A CLASSROOM assistant accused of slapping a four-year-old child on the wrist said staff were ‘bitten, spat at and abused’ on a regular basis.

tant Leander Shaw immediately froze after slapping the child and said ‘I don’t believe I have done that; a professional standards hearing was told.

She told the investigation into her conduct that staff in the mixed year one and reception class at Ysgol Bryn Deva in Connah’s Quay were kicked, bitten, headbutted, spat at and verbally abused on an ‘hourly basis’ by some of the ‘challenging’ infants.

Shaw, who had 14 years experience working at the school, is alleged’ to have slapped the child for kicking out at her while she sat on the carpet with other children during the start of the school day.

She declined to be present or represented at the Education Workforce Council Wales fitness to practise hearing on September 22. That means the allegations are taken as denied.

Shaw said that she had ‘tapped’ and not slapped the youngster, identified only as Child A, when he kicked his leg out at her. She had also admitted when interviewed by police later that she had slapped the child, the committee was told.

“In a knee jerk reaction I tapped the back of his hand with my finger tips,” Shaw said in comments read out to the hearing by committee chair Susan Davies.