A 66-year-old supply teacher has been banned from the teaching profession indefinitely after a professional tribunal found him guilty of using racist language, making threats and engaging in inappropriate physical contact with pupils at a school in Cheshire.
Anton Van Der Watt was removed from Brine Leas School in Nantwich on April 24, 2025, after pupils complained about his behaviour during his first day covering lessons.
The Teaching Regulation Agency panel found that his conduct fell significantly below the standards expected of teachers. It concluded that he had failed to maintain appropriate professional boundaries and had used threatening and discriminatory language towards students.
Although the ban prevents him from returning to the profession, Van Der Watt cannot apply to teach again until October 2029.
Pupils Report Racist Comments and Threatening Behaviour
The tribunal heard that Van Der Watt made several discriminatory remarks during three lessons at the secondary school, which has approximately 1,400 pupils.
One pupil of African origin said the teacher told him that, when he was younger, the student would not have been allowed in his classroom.
Two pupils of Chinese origin were allegedly called “ching” and “chong”. Van Der Watt also reportedly told them that he knew what their real names were.
The hearing further established that he made comments about people of colour not being permitted to travel on trains and buses when he was younger.
The allegations were among several complaints submitted by pupils following the lessons.
Teacher Accused of Physical Contact With Students
Several pupils also described incidents involving physical contact during the lessons.
One student said he was shocked when Van Der Watt placed his fist against another pupil’s neck and pressed him into a chair.
The student said the teacher subsequently pinched his neck, causing pain. He described being forced forward in his seat while Van Der Watt held his neck with his fingers.
Pupil A reportedly had a red mark on his neck following the incident.
When asked to respond, Van Der Watt acknowledged in an email that the incident had happened as described, although he said he was unaware that it had left a red mark.
Two other pupils made similar allegations of physical aggression. One said the teacher punched him on the shoulder.
Van Der Watt also allegedly threatened the same pupil, saying: “Do you want to go home on crutches? I will break your leg.”
Teacher Threatened Pupils With Violent Language
The tribunal heard that Van Der Watt used aggressive language towards students during the lessons.
He reportedly threatened to “rip their vocal cords out and feed them to the lions” and repeatedly told pupils to “shut up”.
He was also accused of banging a wooden ruler on desks, pressing his fists into them and using aggressive gestures towards students.
Another allegation concerned a register in which he supposedly recorded the names of pupils who needed to be hit.
School Sends Teacher Home After Three Lessons
Van Der Watt arrived at Brine Leas School on April 24, 2025, for his first assignment at the institution.
He had been working as a supply teacher through the agency Simply Education since January 2019.
Following complaints from pupils during the school day, senior staff arranged for him to leave after three lessons.
The school subsequently asked the students involved to provide handwritten accounts of what they said had happened.
Their statements included allegations of racist remarks, physical aggression and threats.
Van Der Watt was later reported to Cheshire Police, although the tribunal was told that no further action was taken by the force.
Van Der Watt Apologises for His Conduct
In an email to Simply Education, Van Der Watt apologised for much of his behaviour and said he was disappointed with how the incident had unfolded.
He claimed he had been discussing his background when pupils asked him to demonstrate how to control boys who behaved aggressively.
He said the demonstration was intended to be light-hearted and based on relationships, trust and humour to defuse potentially dangerous situations.
“I am very disappointed and apologetic about the whole incident and feel that I let myself and the profession down,” he wrote.
He also said he had no intention of harming any young person and asked for his sincere apology to be communicated to the pupil involved.
The tribunal noted that he had shown genuine remorse.
Tribunal Says Misconduct Could Damage Public Confidence in Teaching
Panel chair Sue Davies said the proven allegations occurred during three separate periods on Van Der Watt’s first day at the school.
She highlighted the combination of inappropriate physical contact, verbally aggressive behaviour and discriminatory language.
Davies said public confidence in the teaching profession could be seriously weakened if such conduct was not treated with the utmost seriousness by those responsible for regulating teachers.
Civil servant Marc Cavey approved the prohibition order, citing the seriousness of the findings and their potential impact on the profession’s reputation.
He said he was particularly concerned by the finding that a teacher had used threatening and discriminatory language towards pupils.
Van Der Watt is barred from teaching indefinitely and cannot apply to have the prohibition order reviewed until October 2029.
