Teacher who swore online reprimanded

A teacher who communicated with pupils on social networking sites and used swear words has been reprimanded. But she has been spared a teaching ban after accepting her behaviour was inappropriate.

The General Teaching Council's professional conduct committee found Lisa Holmes guilty of "unacceptable professional conduct" whilst employed at Aelfgar Rugeley College in Staffordshire between September 2006 and April 2010. It relates to interaction on Facebook and Twitter.

She was spared a ban after she persuaded the committee that she now understands her behaviour was "totally inappropriate".

The committee found that she used students' images from Aelfgar College events on a social networking site, without permission, in contravention of the Taylors Lane school's safeguarding of children policy.