A TEACHER facing charges of unacceptable professional conduct whilst working at a Gwent secondary school, launched scathing criticism of colleagues and the head teacher after concerns were raised over her pupils' coursework, a General Teaching Council for Wales hearing was told.

Kim Shaw, who taught English at Pontllanfraith comprehensive school for more than 30 years, faces six allegations at a professional conduct committee hearing in Cardiff, including breaching her duty of confidentiality during a disciplinary investigation, behaving inappropriately towards colleagues and head teacher Robert Davies, and making vexatious allegations to the WJEC exam board to try to bring the school into disrepute.

Presenting officer Mrs Lousha Reynolds told the GTCW panel the allegations against Mrs Shaw arose from that disciplinary investigation, launched in autumn 2010 after the school's head of English Susan Hollywell raised concerns over similarities in the coursework of Mrs Shaw's pupils.

Mr Davies decided to investigate and Mrs Reynolds said: "What could have been a fairly straightforward investigation escalated and spiralled due to Mrs Shaw's actions."

Mrs Shaw is alleged subsequently to have used offensive language in her communications with Mr Davies, and/or made derogatory comments about him, and/or vexatious complaints and grievances against him.

Mrs Reynolds said the manner in which Mrs Shaw went about challenging the school's disciplinary process, and not the challenge itself, was the reason the matter had ended up before the GTCW.

"Instead of seeking to defend herself, she simply sought to criticise others," she said.

Mrs Shaw is contesting all the allegations. Representing her Colin Adkins, Wales official for the NAS/UWT teachers' union, told the panel she had been "victimised for disclosing issues of legitimate concern."

These included the return to one of her classes of a boy she had earlier asked to be taken out, as she suspected he was under the influence of an illegal substance.

Another involved an allegation against Mrs Hollywell - that she had taken a pupil out of class so she (the pupil) could groom the teacher's hair.

He said the disclosures were treated as grievances, which was not what Mrs Shaw had intended, and that she had been directed to make them by someone in the human resources department of Caerphilly council.

He also said she and her husband Kevin had been put under surveillance by Caerphilly council when she was on sick leave following her suspension, a matter investigated by the Wales Audit Office.

He said the decision-making process regarding Mrs Shaw's concerns had been "arbitrary and inconsistent" and rather than being vexatious complaints, she felt she had a duty under her professional code to raise them.

Mr Davies told the hearing that after the incident with the pupil in her class, Mrs Shaw had sent a "scathing" e-mail to the deputy head because she felt he had not supported her, though Mr Davies disagreed.

Another teacher had been referred to as a "puffed up, self important git" in front of others, and Mrs Shaw had also accused Mrs Hollywood of "dishonesty."

She had also accused him of being a liar and bully. Mr Davies said the way Mrs Shaw had acted after the initial investigation began prompted him to suspend her, and she was subsequently dismissed in May 2012 after an "irretrievable breakdown of school relationships."

Proceeding