A SECONDARY school teacher who lives in Cowbridge has been barred from her profession after a hearing found her guilty of unacceptable behaviour in her classroom.

The Education Workforce Council panel was told 40-year-old English teacher Julia Wheeler swore at students, 'shouting in their faces' and bragged about her sex life in class

The fitness to practise hearing was told Ms Wheeler shocked senior staff at Pencoed Comprehensive School in Bridgend, South Wales after she wrote 'b***h' next to a pupil's name on a mark sheet - and even put a circle around it.

In her defence, Ms Wheeler told the panel the mark sheet was 'never intended' to go any further and even claimed she was the victim of a 'witch hunt'.

Assistant headteacher Catherine Tobin gave evidence and said the concerns were raised at the school after ten students made statements against her, alleging she 'shouted in their faces' and 'pushed chairs onto the floor' in the classroom.

Ms Tobin told the hearing she had interviewed most of the pupils and that the allegations were 'the first time she had heard anything like it' during her 30 years in education.

Ms Wheeler was sent a letter that a disciplinary meeting was to take place in July 2021 - but an agreement was made to end her employment in February the following year.

Presenting officer Sara Lewis said Ms Wheeler's conduct had negatively affected pupils and there had been 'no expression of genuine regret'.

Ms Wheeler denied all allegations of unacceptable professional conduct by using inappropriate or derogatory behaviour towards pupils but she was banned from teaching for two years.