Alice Ashton told called pupils ‘little s***s’ and told one to ‘sit the f*** down’, a professional standards panel was told
A teacher who went to work under the influence of alcohol, conducted a “rave”-like lesson with singing and dancing, and then swore at pupils has been banned from the classroom. Alice Ashton, who taught Welsh second language and personal and social education at Ysgol Bro Caereinion in Welshpool, “swigged” alcohol during a lesson and told the class they were “little s***s” among other swear words.
Finding a string of allegations about Ashton’s drinking and inappropriate behaviour at work proven an Education Workforce Council (EWC) Wales committee struck her off the teaching register indefinitely.
Giving evidence in person one pupil had described how Ashton urged the class to get up and dance the Macarena as she drank from an Evian water bottle containing orange squash and what smelled like alcohol. Sign up for our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here.
Other evidence from pupils read out at the hearing included descriptions of Ashton playing music through the lesson from her laptop until the lesson “spiralled out of control” and “felt like a mini-rave with loud music, shouting, and dancing”. Another pupil said the teacher was “acting crazy” and her walking was wobbly.
The committee heard how the teacher, who was 29 at the time of the incident in January 2024, had used the words “s***” and “f***” and told one boy to “sit the f*** down”.
At one point she had exclaimed: “At 29 I don’t need to be dealing with this s***.”
An allegation that she had stuck her middle finger up at a pupil was found not proven. An allegation that she had stopped two boys from leaving the unruly classroom was also found not proven. Committee chair Steve Powell explained that although she could be seen on CCTV preventing the boys leaving it was not clear what her reasons for that were.
Mr Powell said the CCTV footage, shown in private to the committee, also showed Ashton gesticulating wildly as she walked around the classroom drinking liquid from a bottle. When it was empty she was seen throwing it in a bin.
Deputy head teacher Edward Baldwin and a colleague had smelled and “tasted” what remained in the bottle after being alerted by pupils and their parents. Mr Baldwin told the panel he concluded it was alcohol. The school then tested the liquid and found it was alcohol. This information could not be used during an official school inquiry as the school had no alcohol testing policy, the committee was told.
However, based on the testimony from pupils and staff that they had smelled alcohol in the bottle and on the basis that Ashton was seen stumbling and slurring her speech outside the school not long after and given she had previously been warned about coming to work smelling of alcohol as well as receiving a conviction for drink-driving a few months earlier, the panel found it more than likely Ashton was under the influence and drinking during the lesson.
Reading out their findings after the hearing, which ran remotely from June 30 to July 2, the committee chair said Ashton had not engaged with the process, had shown no remorse or apology, and demonstrated no insight into her actions. He said while she had denied the allegations during the school’s inquiry she had not responded to any of the EWC’s allegations or engaged in any way with the proceedings. She had however emailed the EWC to say she no longer lived in Wales and no longer worked as a teacher.
Ashton, who began working at Ysgol Bro Caereinion in September 2024 ,had been caught drink-driving the month before and had referred herself correctly to the EWC for that offence, the panel heard. The PSE classes she taught included alcohol and drug awareness and she had also received all the relevant safeguarding training the panel was told.
The following allegations against Ashton were found proven
That she:
- On September 19, 2023, at Telford Magistrates’ Court, was convicted of driving with an alcohol over the limit on August 19, 2023, and as a consequence was sentenced to a 12-month community order, 200 hours of unpaid work, and disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 28 months.
- On or around January 17, 2024, appeared under the influence and/or smelt of alcohol whilst at work.
- On one or more dates in or around January 2024 acted in an inappropriate and/or unprofessional manner towards and/or in front of pupil(s), in that she:
- a) said “f***” and/or “s***”, or words to that effect; and/or
- b) told pupil(s) to “suck it” and/or “f*** off”, or words to that effect; and/or
- c) called pupil(s) “divvys” and/or “little s***s”, and/or “little bitch”, or words to that effect; and/or
- d) in response to Pupil G saying he would “snitch”, you said “be my guest, while you go we will slag you off”, and/or “don’t snitch”, or words to that effect; and/or;
It was found these allegations found proved amounted to unacceptable professional conduct by Ashton.
Allegations that Ashton did not allow Pupil G and/or Pupil J to leave the classroom and put her middle finger up and/or made a “V” sign with her fingers at Pupil G were found not proven.
Striking her name from the EWC teaching register the panel decided Ashton may not apply to be reinstated until two years from the decision. Even then she must convince a fresh panel that she should be re-admitted. If she fails to re-apply successfully she remains banned from teaching in Wales indefinitely.
Ashton has the right of appeal to the High Court within 28 days.
Ysgol Bro Caereinion, a bilingual all-age school with more than 500 pupils aged four to 16, is looking for a new permanent head teacher.
The school opened in September 2021 after the merger of Ysgol Gynradd Llanfair Caereinion and Ysgol Uwchradd Caereinion.
The school is streamed linguistically. Pupils are taught through the medium of Welsh with the aim to be fully bilingual in the Welsh stream and learners are taught through the medium of English with daily Welsh sessions in the English stream.
Powys Council announced last week that a senior education officer from the local authority has been appointed as the acting head teacher. The current head Huw Lloyd-Jones and deputy Mr Baldwin resigned in May after after more than three years at the school and are due to leave at the end of this term.
Anwen Orrells had now been appointed as acting head while the search continues to fill the post permanently. She is currently head of school improvement and learning at Powys County Council and strategic lead for the Mid Wales Education Partnership.
The position as permanent head teacher at Ysgol Bro Caereinion has recently been advertised and the recruitment process is ongoing, the council has said.
