A FORMER Quintin Kynaston headteacher could be struck off following a misconduct hearing examining the use of school funds for “inappropriate purposes”.

Jo Shuter, who resigned from the academy school in Marlborough Hill, Swiss Cottage, in June last year, faced a professional conduct panel in Coventry this week.

The outcome of the National College for Teaching and Leadership hearing, which it is believed will be published next week, could see Ms Shuter receive a life-time ban from teaching children unsupervised.

She was appointed headteacher of King Solomon High School in Redbridge in July, where, according to the school's website, she is still in charge.

Ms Shuter had once been lauded as a “super head” and was awarded CBE in 2010 for services to education – credited with turning around the fate of Quintin Kynaston after she took over in 2002.

An investigation by the Department for Education last year found that school funds had been used for “inappropriate purposes” and raised “a number of issues relating to the employment of family members”.

The report said Ms Shuter – who claimed a salary in excess of £170,000 – had used taxis for unexplained journeys that did not appear to relate to school business. Cab rides to restaurants, The Ivy and the Wolseley restaurants, are listed among the examples in the 22-page report.

In March the DfE lifted a “financial notice to improve” that had been placed on the school after the investigation.

A letter sent to the school's governing body said that the “weaknesses and irregularities found in the investigation” had been addressed, adding: “This includes recovery of funds, enhanced controls on expenditure and improved audit and risk management processes”.

Westminster Council, who ran the school until 2008, said they referred Ms Shuter to the regulatory body because the "matter was too serious not to take it any further".

Andrew Christie, director of children's services at Westminster Council, said: “Following the governors’ investigation and the report by the Department for Education, we felt that this matter was too serious not to take it any further."

He added: “We referred this case to the National College for Teaching and Leadership, the responsible professional body, for an independent review and to determine if further action could or should be taken. We expect very high standards from teachers and headteachers in Westminster. We also believe we have a duty of care for standards in the teaching profession as a whole, and will always do what we can to uphold these standards.”

A spokesman for the Department for Education said: “This case has been before a National College for Teaching and Leadership professional conduct panel. A decision will be taken shortly.”