Teacher who appeared drunk and 'staggering' banned

A teacher who turned up to work looking "dazed" and "staggering" after drinking has been banned from teaching indefinitely.

Ashley Atkin was found to be smelling of alcohol at Horn's Mill Primary School in Frodsham, Cheshire, on 20 October 2023, a Teaching Regulation Agency found.

The 38-year-old, who did not attend the hearing and was not represented, denied allegations of misconduct but did it to drinking more than a bottle of wine the previous evening.

The found Ms Atkin guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and prohibited her from the profession for a period of two years before the decision can be reviewed.

The heard from witnesses who had concerns about Ms Atkin, who had only started at the school the previous month, before the school's assembly.

Witness C said staff had found her sitting in the dark in her classroom and she had not planned the day for her class.

The witness added she could smell alcohol on her breath.

They also said when Ms Atkin stood to take pupils to the assembly "she seemed to have trouble with her dress round her feet and was unsteady".

They told the Ms Atkin led the class in but then walked off to sit down on a chair away from her class and another member of staff, Witness D, had to assist with sitting the children down.

Witness D added Ms Atkin's "looked dazed and was staggering".

The also heard how, during the assembly, Ms Atkin was expected to speak and announce who her class's "big cheese" award winner was.

The heard Ms Atkin had asked a witness "who is big cheese"Custody image of Lucy Letby, who has long blonde hair and is wearing a red top. " class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/>