Cerys Warren said she did not pull a learner and colleague apart to stop them holding hands during a fire drill at Coleg y Cymoedd
A college learning support worker broke down in tears repeatedly and was overcome with emotion as she told how she lost the job she loved after a complaint and investigation into her actions towards a learner and colleague during a fire drill.
Cerys Warren said she had felt anxious and worried when the alarm went off during class time at Coleg y Cymmoedd’s Rhondda campus. She had previously experienced a fire at the playgroup she ran a decade ago. You can read previous coverage of the hearing here.
The college had not told staff there would be a fire drill. She had no reason not to believe it was a genuine fire and emergency when the alarms went off. There was general commotion as staff and students left the building. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here.
Giving evidence to a professional standards hearing on Wednesday October 8, Mrs Warren frequently became tearful and struggled to speak.
She told the Education Workforce Council Wales panel that she denied grabbing new colleague Marianne Barry and the boy – identified only as Learner One – to stop them holding hands.
She also denies an allegation that she spoke “angrily” saying she took a firm tone in what she believed was an emergency.
The EWC committee had previously heard how the learner was holding hands with inexperienced learning support worker, Marianne Barry who had been on the job only a matter of weeks, including just three days at this site.
Mrs Warren’s line manager, Kelly Morgan, deputy head of inclusion for the college, told the remote hearing earlier this week that she saw no problem with Miss Barry holding hands to reassure the learner in the circumstances, despite the college’s no touching policy. However, she acknowledged she had not witnessed the alleged incident.
Mrs Warren denies telling Miss Barry angrily to “leave go”, or grabbing her, or the learner. She said she said “let go” firmly but did not touch either of them.
Questioned about the incident two years ago, which led to her losing her job at the college, Mrs Warren fought back tears as she said she loved her job and it was hard supporting her family and disabled son without work.
She had secured employment through an agency, but that had ended because of the EWC hearing.
“I spoke firmly and professionally to Marianne Barry and the child,” she told the panel, “at no point did I physically grab or use any force.”
Mrs Warren said her tone may have been mistaken during the commotion of the fire drill, which had been a stressful situation. It had reminded her of an arson incident at a playgroup she ran in 2014.
“I do admit I told her to let go but it was not said in a anger, more in a stern tone.
“I feel my anxiety was heightened because I was unable to ascertain whether it was a drill or (real) fire and was acting in a sense of urgency.”
Mrs Warren said she had worked with Learner One for a few years whereas Marianne Barry was a new member of staff who had worked with him for just three days over three weeks.
Despite his extra learning needs he was an independent boy who did not need to hold hands to leave the building during the fire drill.
Counsel for Mrs Warren Simon Ridding questioned why, if it had been deemed so serious, the incident had not been reported to the child’s parents.
“Inexplicably no one checked on Learner One or told his parents,” he said, suggesting the matter had been exaggerated.
Mr Ridding aded that there were “elements of senior staff passing the buck” and a general lack of training for Mrs Warren and other staff, even when requested.
He said Mrs Warren, who is also facing allegations of deleting college computer files relating to Learner One, had done so in error and had never been given IT training by the college, despite repeatedly requesting that.
The allegations:
Mrs Warren faces the following allegations. That whilst employed as an additional learning support worker at Coleg y Cymoedd she:
1. On December 11 2023, during a fire drill, in relation to Learner One she
:a) grabbed Learner One’s hand and/or arm; and/or
b) grabbed Colleague A’s wrist and/or arm; and/or
c) pulled Learner One and Colleague A’s hands/arms apart; and/or
d) raised her voice and/or spoke angrily in the presence of Learner One.
2. Her conduct, as alleged, was not necessary and/or proportionate in thecircumstances.
3. On May 21 2024, she deleted one or more documents about Learner 2 from the College computersystems, which were:
a) relevant to a disciplinary investigation against you; and/orb) important documents relating to Learner 2’s health and/or safety.
4. Her conduct as alleged at paragraph 3(a) was:
a) dishonest; and/or b) lacking in integrity.
5. The facts above constitute unacceptable professional conduct individually and/or together.
Simon Ridding, counsel for Mrs Warren, told the committee that she denies allegations 1a,b and c but admits raising her voice, although denied speaking angrily.
She also denies that her conduct was not necessary or proportionate in the circumstances.
In relation to the allegations about documents Mrs Warren accepts she deleted documents important to learner two but denies she her conduct was dishonest and denies unacceptable professional conduct, Mr Ridding added.
The hearing continues.
