A primary school teacher who slapped a child across the face has been banned from teaching indefinitely. Helena Eckles, 53, was convicted of assault by beating at Leeds Magistrates Court in March last year following an incident at Hall Cliffe Primary School in Wakefield.
The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel heard that on 21 May 2024, Eckles allowed pupils to play computer games after completing their work. When one boy, referred to as Pupil A, refused to stop playing, she began to unplug the laptop herself. The child flailed his arms and tried to push her away.
Eckles claimed she 'overbalanced slightly backwards' and stepped forward to steady herself, causing her right arm to come forward involuntarily and strike the boy's face. The incident left a red handprint mark on his left cheek, and the child ran out of the classroom shouting that he had been slapped.
Despite her conviction, Eckles maintained her innocence, stating she could not afford to appeal and that there had been a miscarriage of justice. She cited staffing shortages and challenging behaviour as contributing factors, but the panel found no evidence of extreme duress.
The TRA concluded that the conviction would affect public confidence in the teaching profession. Stuart Blomfield, acting for the Secretary of State for Education, issued an indefinite prohibition order, banning Eckles from teaching in any school, sixth form college, or children's home in England.
