It is alleged that learning support worker Claire Townsend also joined a pupil WhatsApp group, against safeguarding rules.
20:47, 13 Jul 2026
Willows High School in Splott, Cardiff (Image: Google)
A school learning support worker shared details of her personal history in a sex education class “when it was not necessary,” a hearing has been told. She also joined a pupil WhatsApp group, it is alleged.
Claire Townsend, who worked at Willows High in Cardiff, gave her personal phone number to join a pupil social media group chat, against school safeguarding rules, a professional standards hearing was told.
Townsend knew it was not allowed to share her phone number, let alone join a pupil WhatsApp group chat, the hearing was told. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here.
Headteacher Chris Norman was alerted to the group chat and asked the school’s safeguarding lead Michelle Mackintosh to ask Townsend whether she was in it.
At first Townsend denied it, then said a pupil had added her and then became “vague”, Miss Mackintosh told the hearing, held remotely on July 13.
The EWC fitness to practise panel was told that the learning support worker gave a girl, referred to as Pupil A, her personal mobile telephone number so that she could add her to a WhatsApp group chat containing pupils.
Townsend had done all the school safeguarding training and knew that she should never have shared her number or joined the chat.
When inappropriate messages were then shared by pupils on the chat, Townsend knew that she should have reported that too, but did not, the panel was told.
It was alleged that Townsend stayed in the group for around a month between July and August 2024.
During that time the learning support worker is said to have sent one or more messages in the chat which ended with “x” or “xx”; and/or sent one or more messages in the chat outside term-time and/or during the evening.
When a pupil messaged in the chat saying “I touch myself”, the committee heard that Townsend allegedly responded saying: “I am here guys but honestly I’m not going to get offended by any of your messages I know it’s just banter etc … and to be honest (name redacted) someone has to do it!”
In response to another pupil’s message (since deleted), Townsend allegedly sent a message saying: “I’m still still here guys!! To be honest 80% of what you send I do not understand I won’t get offended so carry ondoing what youre doing and I’ll just watch!!!!x”
After seeing inappropriate messages and content posted by pupils to the group chat, Townsend should have reported it to Mr Norman or Miss Mackintosh, the panel heard.
She should have admitted that she had been a part of a group chat with pupils using her personal number; and that inappropriate messages had been shared by pupils on the group chat. Not to do so was in breach of the school’s safeguarding training and/or in breach of its child protection policy, the EWC alleged.
Apart from the group chat allegations the panel also heard that on one or more occasions between March 2023 and June 2024 Townsend shouted and/or raised her voice at pupils in class when it was neither required nor appropriate.
Between March 2023 and June 2024, on one or more occasions, it is also alleged that she spoke to one or more pupils inappropriately, in a tone that was described as either frustrated, sarcastic, patronising or confrontational.
It is also alleged the learning support worker referred to pupils as “lovely”, and/or “darling” while sanctioning them; and/or told pupils that she would give them demerits and/or send them to the alternate provision centre when this was not warranted.
On the allegation relating to the sex education class Townsend is alleged to have shared unnecessary personal history during a sex education class on or around November 16, 2023.
The school launched an internal investigation when the group chat came to light and the matter was referred to the EWC.
Townsend was neither present not represented at the hearing, held remotely on Monday, July 13.
The hearing continues.
