A school learning support worker who said she needed compassionate leave and then went on holiday to Italy has been banned from the classroom for a year.
Ella Frazer Griffith was caught out when school colleagues saw photos of her in Rome on Facebook at the time she’d asked off for compassionate leave, a professional standards panel was told.
By taking compassionate from Ysgol Cybi on Anglesey and then going away to Italy the learning support worker “acted in a manipulative and dishonest manner and had no regard for the impact on the school or colleagues”, Sue Davies, chair of the Education Workforce Council Wales committee, said.
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The panel, meeting remotely on March 17, found Miss Griffith guilty of unacceptable professional conduct whilst employed at Ysgol Cybi and suspended her from the EWC register for one year.
She cannot work in a maintained, or a non-maintained school during the time of the suspension.
The hearing, which first opened in November 2021, was delayed and reconvened at the request of Miss Griffith, who no longer works at the school, after she said she wished to attend.
But she did not turn up again and gave no reason, so the hearing continued without her. Miss Griffith entered no plea, was not present and not represented.
The reconvened hearing was told that Ysgol Cybi on Anglesey agreed Miss Griffith’s request for compassionate leave for two and a half days in September 2020 because senior staff were already aware she had a serious matter at home.
The teaching assistant, part of the additional learning needs team in the primary school’s special needs department, asked for compassionate leave from lunchtime on Friday, September 18, to Tuesday, September 22, last year just as schools returned after months of Covid closures.
But she never gave an exact reason on an absence request form, the hearing was told.
On September 22 other members of staff alerted the headteacher to Facebook photos posted by Miss Griffith’s partner showing her in Rome.
When she returned to work on September 23 Miss Griffith, who had worked at the school for a year, initially said she had been away for the weekend only and that she felt she had to go because her partner had paid for it.
But the panel was told it was unlikely a foreign trip could have been arranged last minute in September 2020 given Covid international travel rules at the time, including the need to take tests.
Miss Griffiths then failed to turn up for work at the school for the rest of that week, without explanation and did not return to her job.
“Compassionate leave was granted. However on Monday September 21 2020 Facebook postings of the registered person in Rome were brought to the attention of the school,” Miss Davies said.
The school raised concerns with Miss Griffith when she returned on the Wednesday.
The LSW made various excuses such as saying she went to Rome on the weekend, but later retracted that and said she flew out on the Friday.
Committee chair Sue Davies told the panel “She had an important role in the school. This (leave) was not a matter that would normally be agreed. Leave for holiday at this point was not likely to be granted as staff had only just returned from the long summer.
“Miss Griffith knew, or must have known, the school was misled as to the principal reason for her absence.
Striking Miss Griffith off the register for a year the committee chair said Miss Griffith’s conduct “did involve dishonesty” and although she had apologised and expressed regret she had “failed to recognise her personal responsibility as a role model and acted in a way that disregarded colleagues and learners.”
A number of allegations against Miss Griffith were found proven, not proven, or partly proven:
Allegation 1 that on Thursday September 17 2020 Miss Griffith applied for compassionate leave from Friday 18 September 2020 to Tuesday 22 September 2020 knowing she would use the time to go on holiday to Italy. This was found not proven.
Allegation 2 that on dates between Friday 18 September and Tuesday 22 September 2020, when signed off work on grounds of compassionate leave Miss Griffith went on holiday to Italy on Friday 18 September 2020, returning Monday 21 September 2020. This was found proven.
Allegation 3 that Miss Griffith did not keep in reasonable contact with her line manager in accordance with the school’s absence reporting policy on: Thursday 24 September 2020; and/ or Friday 25 September 2020. This was found proven
Allegation 4 the conduct in respect of particulars 1, 2 and 3 demonstrated a lack of integrity. Allegation 5 the conduct in respect of particulars 1, 2 and 3 was dishonest. Both allegations 4 and 5 were found proven in part.
Allegation 6. The facts of allegations 1 to 5 (found proven) constitute unacceptable professional conduct, meaning “conduct which falls short of the standard expected of a registered person” when considered: individually; and/ or together. This was found proven.
