Trowbridge teacher banned after 'bomb' remark to Muslim pupil

The school "acted decisively" after Mr Johnson threw metal at a Year 10 pupil

A teacher who suggested a Muslim student "might have a bomb in his bag" has been banned from the profession.

Paul Johnson admitted 16 allegations of professional misconduct at two schools from September 2011 to December 2018.

A panel heard how he had "stumbled up stairs" while under the influence of alcohol at an Oxfordshire school and thrown metal at a pupil at another school in Wiltshire.

He can apply for his indefinite ban to be reconsidered in November 2025.

Mr Johnson was assistant head teacher and head of boarding at Burford School, Oxfordshire, from September 2011 until July 2015.

A Teaching Regulation Agency panel found he had threatened to send children home in taxis from the state-run boarding school and had bought a laptop computer for his own use with school funds.

It also heard he referred to Spanish pupils as "thieves" and other pupils as "scum".

Mr Johnson resigned from the school in October 2015, ahead of a disciplinary panel taking place.

Paul Johnson was Burford School's assistant head teacher and head of boarding for nearly for nearly four years

He worked as a design technology teacher at Clarendon Academy in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, from February 2016 until January 2019, when he was sacked for gross misconduct.

Mr Johnson received a warning for suggesting the student "might have a bomb in his bag" between January 2017 and September 2018 and later apologised to the student and his family.

But in December 2018, he threw a piece of sheet metal at a Year 10 pupil in front of a class. Mr Johnson had been shouted and sworn at by the pupil but admitted his actions were "misjudged".

Clarendon Academy's head teacher, Rob Price, said: "We removed the teacher when we thought there was a risk to students - before any formal external investigation took place.

"We acted decisively and we put the students' safety first and acted quickly on their behalf."

Burford School has been contacted to comment.