Prince Harry got a grade B in art

Anthony Little said if a teacher had written the AS level art journal, they clearly were "not worth the job".

The prince's former art teacher, Sarah Forsyth, told her employment tribunal she wrote most of the journal - and even taped Harry admitting to this.

Her contract at the school was not renewed in summer 2003. She is claiming unfair dismissal.

Ms Forsyth says Harry was regarded as a "weak" student at Eton and was given "inappropriate help" with his work.

Spelling mistakes

But the school's head responded by telling the tribunal on Wednesday Harry's journal was riddled with errors.

Among the mistakes is a reference to an artist's "forthwith manner" rather than "forthright", and references to "interloking" lines and "mark mark making".

Mr Little said staff were concerned by Ms Forsyth's state of mind

"Frankly, if the teacher had done that, with those spelling mistakes, she wasn't worth the job," Mr Little said.

The school accepts Ms Forsyth gave the prince help with technical vocabulary, but says that is part of "good teaching".

Mr Little said: "It's the function of a good teacher to help the student to develop language and terminology to give it a bit of shape, for a teacher to do that is a jolly good thing."

But he said he was "very shocked" to learn of Ms Forsyth's "extraordinary actions" in taping a conversation with the prince as he was on his way to an art A level exam.

Mr Little said the taping was in itself grounds for dismissal for gross misconduct.

'Gloves off'

Ms Forsyth claims her head of department, Ian Burke, had been bullying her in the run-up to her dismissal.

She says she told other staff, including the headmaster, but her claims were ignored.

Ms Forsyth says Mr Burke threatened her, telling her he would "get her".

She secretly taped a second conversation in which Mr Burke was heard to say "the gloves are off now, I can't protect you".

The Royal Family has denied Harry cheated and an investigation by exam board Edexcel found no evidence of malpractice.

The prince started officer training at Sandhurst Military Academy this week.

The tribunal is due to resume on Thursday.