A teacher who fantasised about drowning a pupil in a toilet and hit another child has been allowed to stay in the profession.

Lesley Wisson also threatened another teenager with arrest, and told her class to “fuck off”.

She wrote in a child’s diary, “Toilet; drown him in it please”. A General Teaching Council (GTC) panel said she had behaved in an “inappropriate and unprofessional” way and had failed to take “reasonable care” of pupils.

Mrs Wisson had worked at Ratton School in Eastbourne from September 1989. Five incidents of inappropriate behaviour occurred between December 2006 and November 2007. The school decided to take no further action after carrying out an investigation.

After she inappropriately restrained “Pupil B”, who was being disruptive, there was another investigation and Mrs Wisson was asked to attend counselling sessions and was referred for occupational health treatment. After she hit a pupil and swore at her class she was dismissed from her job.

Mrs Wisson threatened to have “Pupil A” arrested and charged with slander - but denied this was a threat. She also admitted writing in his diary.

The teacher said she grabbed Pupil B by the arm because she believed he was going to hit her. She said she hit “Pupil F” in the face with a diary “in a state of anger”. In their evidence, colleagues said she was distressed afterwards.

On November 12, 2007, Mrs Wisson said “fuck off” while teaching. She said she was asking the pupils if they had heard Pupil F say those words.

The GTC panel said her actions amounted to unacceptable professional conduct.

Mrs Wisson, described as an “excellent teacher”, was given a reprimand, which will remain on her record for two years. She avoided more serious punishment because of her “expressions of regret” and “insight into her failings”.