By Salma El-Sakka
Supply teacher Anton Van Der Watt has been banned from the profession after a professional tribunal found he made violent threats and racist remarks to pupils on his first day at a secondary school in Cheshire.
First Day Incidents
On April 24, 2025, Van Der Watt began working at Brine Leas School in Nantwich through the agency Simply Education. During three lessons that day, he threatened to “rip pupils’ vocal cords out and feed them to the lions,” told a student “Do you want to go home on crutches? I will break your leg,” and physically handled pupils, including placing his fist on a pupil’s neck and pinching him.
Racist Remarks
Van Der Watt also directed racist language at students of Chinese origin, calling them “ching” and “chong,” and told an African pupil that “when he was younger, he would not have been allowed in his classroom.” He kept a “register of who needed to be hit.”
Tribunal Findings
The Teaching Regulation Agency panel found all allegations proven. It concluded that prohibition was proportionate and necessary to maintain public confidence in the teaching profession. The panel noted the conduct involved inappropriate physical contact, verbally aggressive behaviour, and discriminatory language across three separate periods.
Outcome
Van Der Watt apologised, claiming he intended to demonstrate de-escalation techniques, but the panel rejected this explanation. He was struck off the teaching register and may apply for reinstatement in October 2029.
