A FORMER school secretary who lost her job after she slapped a 15-year-old student is appealing her conviction.

Arnewood School teacher Jane Farmer was found guilty of assault by beating, after she struck a pupil at the New Milton school.

Following the trial, the 56-year-old was sentenced to 100 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £705.

She also lost her job at the school - who said she had resigned from her role - and she will never be able to work with children again.

The court heard she had been trying to help a female teacher with a disruptive pupil and demanded he leave the classroom.

She was walking with the pupil to the the teacher's office when she thought he looked 'unsteady on his feet' and claimed she had put her arm out to stop him from hurting himself.

But Farmer's colleagues told a trial she had slapped the boy's upper arm with the back of her hand.

The teenage pupil was taken to see the school nurse after the incident on January 22, but there was no visible injury.

Farmer, of New Milton, Hants, denied one count of assault by beating but was convicted by magistrates.

She is now set to appeal the ruling, at a hearing set to be held at Southampton Crown Court on December 17.