Banning order for teacher who slapped boy in face

A primary school teacher has been banned from the profession after being convicted of slapping a pupil across the face.

Helena Eckles, who worked at Hall Cliffe Primary School in Wakefield, was found guilty of assault by beating at Leeds Magistrates' Court in 2025 following the incident in 2024.

Eckles, who then faced a professional misconduct panel by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA), claimed the contact had been an accident and maintained her innocence after being convicted.

But the TRA panel found the court had considered witness evidence and the fact that a "red handprint-type mark" had been documented as being left on the boy's face.

The misconduct hearing took place on 17 April and the findings were published on 30 April.

Eckles, 53, was given an indefinite prohibition order from teaching, and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children's home in England.

She will not be able to apply for the order to be set aside for 10 years.

According to the TRA report, Eckles said the incident had arisen after a pupil in her classroom had repeatedly refused to put his laptop away while playing a game.

She said her hand had accidentally made contact with the boy's face when she "overbalanced" as she tried to take the laptop away from him while he tried to push her away and grab the laptop back.

Eckles also provided evidence that "she did not have sufficient trained staff around her, that Pupil A had thrown laptops at her on previous occasions and that the school was an unsafe and unsupported environment", according to the report.

However, the panel found that "the subject matter of the criminal conviction would be likely to have an impact on safety or security of pupils or members of the public" and "would be likely to affect public confidence in the teaching profession".

It also found Eckles had not demonstrated remorse for the incident.

The report added: "The panel was extremely troubled by the offence against a child of which Ms Eckles had been convicted and considered that it could have no assurance that such actions would not be repeated."

The panel recommended not setting any period for Eckles to seek a review of the prohibition order.

However, representative for the Secretary of State for Education said a 10-year review period was "necessary to maintain public confidence and is proportionate and in the public interest".

This was partly because the panel found no evidence of previous misconduct by Eckles, the report said.

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