'Net shopping teacher guilty.

A PRIMARY school teacher who trawled the internet during lessons was yesterday found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct.

Sian Mediana was told: "Pupils' progress may have been seriously affected".

The 40-year-old, who was head of Fairwater Primary School's behaviour unit, in Cardiff, admitted accessing the internet on the computer in her classroom to check her bank account and order school books, but said this was never during working hours.

The General Teaching Council for Wales, sitting in Cardiff, said it accepted the evidence of Ms Mediana's two teaching assistants that she regularly used the internet for personal use during working hours.

The panel's chairman, Peter Williams, said it was not satisfied with Ms Mediana's explanation that her teaching assistants, other staff members or her children must have been using her computer.

Ms Mediana had said she did not receive a copy of the school's internet use policy and Mr Williams said it was not satisfied she had done so.

But he said Ms Mediana should have known it was against the policy and contrary to her daily teaching duties.

He said the panel found Ms Mediana had not been actively teaching her pupils when she should have been, that she failed to adequately lead her two teaching assistants and did not set a good professional example.

She was responsible for teaching a class of around 10 pupils with emotional behavioural difficulties, for which she received extra money.

An investigation by an IT expert from Cardiff Council, brought in by the school, found sites accessed included Virgin Atlantic, Lloyds TSB, Credit Expert, Travel Supermarket, easyJet and Flightline.

MsMediana told the hearing: "My attitude towards my job is absolutely enthusiastic for those children and I would never abuse that trust."

She said: "I regularly checked my Lloyds account, I hold my hands up to that. I am sorry," she said.

But she said this was either before or after school, or during breaks.

Ms Mediana, a single mother of two from Ogmore Vale, near Bridgend, added that headteacher Heather Thomas knew that she had ordered 60 books from eBay because she gave her the receipts.

MsMediana said she was not always able to leave the classroom during breaks because there needed to be at least two members of staff with the children, so she used the computer in her room.

Mrs Mediana was given a three-year conditional registration order by the panel.

She must notify the headteacher of any school she teaches at of the order, and was told she could only use the internet at work for school business.

Mrs Mediana was also ordered to provide evidence to the GTCW every term that she is complying with the school's computer policy.

CAPTION(S):

GUILTY: Sian Mediana checked her bank account using her school computer