By Abbie Wightwick

Copyright walesonline

An experienced classroom assistant accused of slapping a four-year old on the wrist in class immediately froze and gasped: “I don’t believe I have done that,” the class teacher told a professional standards hearing. Staff in the mixed year one and reception class at Bryn Deva Primary in Connah’s Quay, Flintshire , were kicked, bitten, head butted, spat at and verbally abused on an “hourly basis” by some of the “challenging” infants, Leander Shaw, who faces allegations of slapping a child, told the investigation in comments read out. Shaw, with 14 years experience working at the school, is alleged to have slapped the little boy for kicking out at her as he sat on the carpet with other children at the start of the school day. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here The teaching assistant waived her right 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” not slapped the little boy, 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. Staff were “verbally abused, head butted, kicked, scratched, punched, head butted, scratched and slapped” by the children in the class and “not just by Child A”, Shaw went on. Questioned on these reported comments the class teacher Claire Samuel agreed “it was a challenging class” with some children “struggling to regulate themselves”. She said this behaviour was managed. Headteacher Karen Burrows told the hearing she did not recognise the behaviour described by Shaw on an hourly basis and neither had that been reported to her. She agreed it was a difficult class but said the infants had been affected by pandemic lockdowns and needed support. Miss Samuel told the hearing that Child A displayed “toddler traits” rather than aggression. He had kicked a leg out in frustration and not with aggression, or force, before Shaw took his wrist and slapped it warning him in “an aggressive tone” to “don’t you kick me”. Miss Samuel said the boy did not have diagnosed additional needs or an independent development plan (IDP) but was behind his peers and had a “provision map” of issues he needed help with. This included toileting, interaction and behaviour. Shaw was aware of this, the panel was told. The class teacher said she was facing Child A when the alleged incident occurred and saw clearly what happened. She said Shaw had got up to open the classroom door and walk out and the child had flung out his leg at her in frustration. “I had asked Leander to support Child A sitting on his star on the carpet. She had opened the door to leave but not walked through. I had swivelled my chair and saw he got up to follow Leander. “He swung his legs bit did not make contact. It was out of frustration and not unexpected. “Leanne bent down and said: “do not kick me.” “Child A went to hit her with his right hand like a toddler would do. She hit him on the left arm above the wrist. ” The teacher said she believed the strike was intentional as Shaw took his arm and that it hurt him because he exclaimed “ow”. She described the strike as a slap not a tap. The teaching assistant had been immediately shocked at her actions too. “Leander immediately gapsed and raised both her hands to her face. She said: “I Can’t believe I have done that”. “She was in shock at her actions. She froze.” Miss Samuel immediately reported the matter to assistant head David Hall. An investigation was launched, during which Shaw was interviewed by police and admitted slapping child A on the wrist, the committee was told. She left her job at the school on February 27 2024. Head teacher Karen Burrows said Shaw had received training in behaviour management, adverse childhood experiences, ADHD and other issues and had accessed Child A’s “provision map”. Weekly meetings to discuss behaviour management were held with teaching assistants and training given. The 120-pupil school took children from a deprived catchment with more than one in four eligible for free school meals, more than four in 10 with additional learning needs and more than one in four speaking English as a second language, the panel was told. That whilst employed as a teaching assistant at Ysgol Bryn Deva, she: All the allegations are taken as denied. The hearing continues.