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A teacher at a special school has been banned, after striking pupils and making "unacceptable comments".

Elaine Housley, 61, who taught at Old Hall Special School, Walsall, struck one pupil on the head with a blind and hit or slapped another on the leg, a panel found.

She has been prohibited indefinitely from teaching, the Teaching Regulation Agency said.

Walsall Council and the school have been given an opportunity to comment.

Allegations Ms Housley engaged in "inappropriate and/or unprofessional behaviour in relation to one or more pupils" between October 2016 and March 2017 were found proven, the agency said.

These included "hitting and/or slapping" a pupil "on his leg(s) in response to him throwing food on the floor", pushing him in the back and putting his "hand/fist into his mouth after he had tried to bite" her.

"Her conduct did involve inappropriate physical contact with vulnerable pupils, or making unacceptable comments to, or about, them," the panel observed.

But it also stated there was no evidence of any substantial physical harm caused to any of the pupils.

The panel said "no doubt had been cast upon her abilities as an educator and she was able to make a valuable contribution to the profession".

Some allegations against her were found not proven.

Ms Housley was dismissed from the school in February last year and can apply for the order to be set aside in 2021.

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