Two teachers at a comprehensive school were disciplined for using the word "pikey" – classed as a racist remark.

And one of them left Mascalls School, Paddock Wood, as a result.

The incidents were confirmed by Mascalls head teacher Vanessa Everett who was defending the school’s record of having the highest number of reported racist incidents in Kent.

Mascalls recorded 31 incidents in 2006/07: the second highest figure for the same period was Minister College, with 18 incidents.

One of the incidents reported at Mascalls involved a pupil saying: "My mother hates Jews". On another occasion, a boy told his history class that he hated all Germans.

The word "pikey" was used in all the other 29 incidents.

Mrs Everett said the school’s zero-tolerance policy on racism had led to more reports being made than at other schools in the county.

She said: "These types of comments are deeply offensive and it is our duty to report it."

Mrs Everett said the word ‘pikey’ was also classed by the school as a racist remark.

She said: "This is another word that can be deeply offensive to certain sections of society so we take it very seriously. In fact, two of the recorded incidents involved members of staff who were both disciplined with one leaving the school as a result."

It is the zero-tolerance attitude that Mrs Everett believes led to Ofsted inspectors classing the school as "outstanding" on citizenship and pupils’ attitudes to multi-culturalism.

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