A headteacher has issued an emotional apology after allegations arose that he was having an affair with a pupil's mother.
Aled Rees would often leave Ysgol Teilo Sant in Llandeilo during the school day without telling staff. He would also spend a lot of time talking to a child's mother at the school gates while frequently taking personal calls in his office.
During a fitness to practise hearing, it was alleged that he told a pregnant teacher "that will teach you to open your legs" - or words to that effect - after she complained of her classroom being moved, which he denied. However, he admitted to five other professional conduct allegations against him, including an extramarital relationship with a pupil's mother, Wales Online reports.
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Speaking to the Educational Workforce Council hearing on May 2, Mr Rees said: "I recognise my fault and blame. I take the blame. I have fallen short of the expectations I would have set for myself and would be expected of me by bodies in general.
"I regret the pain I caused to members of staff, pupils, parents and not to mention my own family.” Representing Mr Rees at the hearing, Ioan Jones from education union UCAC said he “accepts it is not appropriate to remain in the profession” which he left voluntarily in February 2021 and “accepts that he deserves any sanction or conditions you impose”.
The panel heard how Mr Rees joined the Welsh medium school as head in January 2018, while it was alleged that between September 2018 and February 2020, he "spent an excessive amount of time" away from the site without telling colleagues or arranging cover. This meant 180 pupils did not have a safeguarding lead, a key part of his role.
The hearing heard that Mr Rees would often be absent for periods ranging from 45 minutes to several hours - on one occasion he was even gone for the whole afternoon. While there was no evidence of an affair, there was a rumour and people witnessed the head and pupil's mother talking together for a long time at the school gates each morning, said assistant headteacher Maureen Williams at the hearing.
On one occasion just before the Covid lockdown a teacher at the school raised concerns that a pupil in his class (referred to as Child A in the hearing) was crying and upset because her parents were splitting up. Although Mr Rees should have been involved in helping, as the safeguard lead, the child said she did not want to speak to him, the hearing heard.
Mrs Williams told the panel: “Aled Rees noticed learner A was crying but walked past rather than walk over. The girl told her teacher she did not want to speak to Aled Rees.”
Once lockdown was over, the child's father asked that someone else from the school carry out the pandemic wellbeing phone calls. Mrs Williams also said that she began noticing the head was leaving the school without informing anyone else by around October 2018.
Because the schools was split across sites, staff did not know he wasn't in the main building, she added. By Spring 2019, Mr Rees' absences were "worsening" and Mrs Williams finally confronted him about it.
“He didn’t give any reason other than he was popping to the Co-op for food,” she said. However, Mrs Williams began keeping records of the head's absences and noticed that he would leave his work phone in school so he could not be contacted.
“He was not leading the school as he should. He did not offer advice or support to staff. Leadership was unclear.”
She said on one occasion there was a school trip and his absence meant no one was leading the school. Mr Rees missed yard duty and assemblies, the hearing heard.
Mrs Williams said: “We did not have evidence of an affair but there was a rumour going around and there was the pattern of his frequent loitering and staying outside by the gate with Learner A’s mother. Staff talked about it. I would see him at the gate talking to the parent in question.”
Year five teacher Elen Davies told the panel that Mr Rees sometimes spent half an hour chatting to the parent at the school gate in the mornings. “It was clear he gave this parent more attention that other parents” and Mr Rees “was not fulfilling his role as headteacher”, she told the hearing.
Matters came to a head after March 2019 after Ms Davies informed Mr Rees she was pregnant. Shortly afterwards, when Mrs Davies complained her class had been moved, she claimed Mr Rees told her "that’s what you get for opening your legs” - or words to that effect.
She said she was too frightened as a relatively new 25-year-old teacher at the time, to report it. She said: "It made me feel angry and scared. Aled Rees was best friends with the chair of governors so I felt he would not support me.
“I remember feeling quite vulnerable. It was clear Aled Rees was able to do whatever he wanted in his role.
“I was only 25 at the time and felt it was my word against Aled Rees’ - I regret not reporting it now.” Mr Rees denies the allegation.
Mr Rees faces six allegations, five of which he accepts. If they are found proven, it would amount to unacceptable professional misconduct.
Mr Rees accepts the following allegations:
- From around September 2018 to February 2020, he spent an excessive amount of time away from the school site on activities that did not relate to school business and/or was uncontactable during the working day.
- From around September 2018 to February 2020, he did not consistently ensure the senior leadership team and/or the administrative office were informed that he was:
a) leaving the school site; and/or
b) where he was going; and/or
c) when he would return
- From around September 2018 to February 2020, he did not ensure sufficient cover with the senior leadership team in his role as designated safeguarding officer and/or headteacher when he was not on site at the school should an incident occur in his absence.
- From around September 2018 to February 2020, he spent an excessive amount of time engaged in personal telephone calls during the working day.
- By virtue of his extra-marital relationship with the mother of a child at the school, he placed himself in a position where:
a) he was or risked being, unable to fulfil his responsibility to ensure the well-being of the pupil; and/or
b) there was a clear risk of a conflict of interest, or the perception of a conflict of interest, between his personal interests and his role as headtacher and/or designated safeguarding officer.
Mr Rees denies an allegation that in or around July 2018, in response to a pregnant colleague querying a decision he had made, he told her, “that will teach you to open your legs” or words to that effect.
The hearing continues.
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