A tipsy teacher has been banned from teacher after showing drunk up to a school assembly with her pupils – after the incident the drunk Year One teacher was sent home by her colleagues
A primary school teacher has been banned from teaching after ‘staggering’ into a school assembly reeking of alcohol and had to be driven home.
Ashley Atkin, 38, had only been working at the Horn’s Mill Primary School in Helsby, Cheshire, for a matter of weeks when colleagues noticed she wasn’t quite with it. She ‘looked dazed and was staggering’ as she brought her class into the school hall for their star of the week assembly, staff said. In a teaching disciplinary hearing, one of Atkin’s colleagues told the panel: “When [Ms Atkin] stood to take to children in [to the assembly] she seemed to have trouble with her dress round her feet and was unsteady.”
The panel heard: “She moved slowly and gingerly.”
Just two days earlier, Atkins received a copy of the school’s drugs and alcohol policy. In which the policy states: “Under no circumstances should you attend school under the influence of alcohol.”
The Teaching Regulation Agency also heard Atkins had been drunk on the school grounds in October 2023 – the month after taking up a job at the school.
Chair of the panel, Melissa West, said: “Ms Atkin was teaching on 20 October 2023; she went to work, on her evidence, having drunk a bottle and a glass of wine during the early hours of the morning.” West added: “She was seen to be staggering in the school, her eyes were glazed, and she appeared drunk.
“The panel was satisfied that the conduct of Ms Atkin fell significantly short of the standard of behaviour expected of a teacher in that she presented at work after consuming alcohol and smelling of alcohol and for safeguarding reasons could not be left in charge of her class for the day.”
Atkins was not present at the hearing but previously commented on the shame she felt, saying: “I’m absolutely devastated about what happened and it’s all I can think about. I was going through such a difficult time at that point. Since then I am in a much better place.”
Atkins was described as a passionate teacher who “had the ingredients to be a good teacher”.
On behalf of the the Education secretary, civil servant Marc Cavey commented on the Atkins’ hearing and said: “In my judgement, the lack of evidence that Ms Atkin has developed full insight into and remorse for her actions means that there is some risk of the repetition of this behaviour and this jeopardises the future wellbeing of pupils.”
Due to the hearing Atkins has been banned from re-applying to the profession for the next two years. Atkins, the former year 1 teacher, has 28 days to appeal the ruling.
For more shocking stories from the Daily Star, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters