Supply teacher banned after threatening to rip children's vocal chords out on first day

Supply teacher banned after threatening to rip children's vocal chords out on first day Anton Van Der Watt was taken to a professional tribunal where he was struck off - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in A supply teacher has been banned from teaching after making threats to the children telling an African pupil that “back when he was younger he wouldn’t be allowed in the classroom”. Anton Van Der Watt threatened extreme violence to other pupils, including that he would “rip their vocal chords out and feed them to the lions”. He also said: "Do you want to go home on crutches? I will break your leg," to one shocked student. His long list of deplorable actions were all committed on his very first day at a new school. When his behaviour, threats and physically handling his pupils was reported, Mr Van Der Watt was taken to a professional tribunal where he was struck off. Mr Van Der Watt worked as a supply teacher through supply agency Simply Education between January 2019 to April 24, 2025. On April 24, 2025, he went to Brine Leas School in Watford, Herts, a secondary school with around 1,400 pupils at the time. Consequently, it was 'well-versed' with both supply teaching and dealing with poor behaviour from pupils. That same day, 'following complaints being made by the pupils, Mr Van Der Watt was sent home early by the School'. The tribunal heard that 'pupils were each requested to provide a handwritten account of what they alleged to have happened'. The accounts included a host of damning allegations about Mr Van Der Watt's conduct, from racism to physical violence. One pupil described how he was 'in shock' when Mr Van Der Watt 'put his fist' on Pupil A’s neck and 'dug me into the chair'. The pupil said: "I did not know what to do. He then pinched me in the neck. It did hurt. "We were being pressed into the chair. I was having to lean forward as he pinched my neck with his fingers.” Pupil A stated that there was a red mark on his neck where Mr Van Der Watt had placed his fingers. Two other pupils made similar accusations of physical violence against the supply teacher, including that he 'punched' one student on the shoulder. He asked the same student: “Do you want to go home on crutches? I will break your leg.” He continued to 'demonstrate aggressive behaviour' by 'pressing his fists' into the desks and hitting the desks with a ruler. He threatened the class, telling them to 'shut up' and that he would 'rip their vocal chords out and feed them to the lions'. Mr Van Der Watt kept a 'register of who needed to be hit' and 'verbally abused two students of Chinese origin' by calling them 'ching' and 'chong' on the register. He told these students 'we know what your real name is'. He mentioned that 'people of colour would not be allowed on trains and buses' when he was younger, and even told an African pupil that 'when he was younger, he would not have been allowed in his classroom'. Each of these allegations, which were found proven by the professional tribunal, occurred on the same day - which was Mr Van Der Watt's first day at this school. They occurred over three different lessons. The matter was reported to the police but after an investigation no action was taken. Mr Van Der Watt apologised for much of his behaviour, and said in an email to his supply agency: “I am very disappointed and apologetic about the whole incident and feel that I let myself and the profession down by allowing the boys to convince me into demonstrating in a light-hearted manner a way to defuse a potential dangerous situation by using relationships, trust and humour. “I definitely had no intention to harm a young person in any shape or form and want my sincere apology be communicated with the student involved.” However the Teaching Regulation Agency has decided to strike him off from the teaching register. The Agency concluded: "The panel was of the view that prohibition was both proportionate and appropriate. The panel decided that the public interest considerations outweighed the interests of Mr Van Der Watt." “Whilst the events occurred on one day in April 2025, such events took place over three separate periods. "They also involved inappropriate physical contact, verbally aggressive behaviour, and discriminatory language." “The panel considered that public confidence in the profession could be seriously weakened if conduct such as that found against Mr Van Der Watt were not treated with the utmost seriousness when regulating the conduct of the profession." He will be able to apply to teach again in October 2029. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments