A headteacher who fiddled pupil absence data, a further education teacher who gave away four birds belonging to a college, and a sexist lecturer who brought suitcases of porn into work are among those struck off the education register in Wales this year.
As the summer holiday begins, the work of the Education Workforce Council Wales (EWC), which is responsible for maintaining professional standards in schools and colleges, continues. The EWC is tasked with ensuring education staff work to standards required and aims to maintain public confidence in the system.
Between February and July, 2022, seven education staff on its register were banned from the classroom by EWC fitness to practise panels with a further seven slapped with official reprimands on their records but allowed to continue working. Staff can be banned from the classroom in Wales if EWC panels find evidence of misconduct Some hearings are held in private for child protection reasons. You can get more education news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
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Catherine Louise George
School teacher Catherine Louise George received a reprimand after failing to provide a specimen for analysis when suspected of driving a vehicle under the influence.
An EWC panel meeting remotely on February 4 found an allegation of ‘a relevant offence’ proved against Mrs George. The committee found that, whilst registered as a school teacher, Mrs George, on May 19, 2021, was convicted of failing to provide a specimen for analysis when suspected of having driven a vehicle, contrary to section 7(6) Road Traffic Act 1988. As a result of this offence Mrs George was fined £1,250 and disqualified from holding a driving licence for 18 months, the panel was told.
The committee hearing the case imposed a reprimand on Mrs George’s registration as a school teacher for a period of two years (from February 4, 2022, until February 4, 2024). They agreed Mrs George would still be able to work as a registered school teacher in a maintained school or non-maintained special school in Wales for the period of the reprimand.
Tina Maria Smith
Further education teacher Tina Maria Smith was struck off the teaching register after giving away four birds belonging to Coleg Gwent and bullying colleagues.
At a remote hearing from February 7-9, 2022 an EWC fitness to practise committee found an allegation of unacceptable professional conduct proved against the further education teacher.
The panel imposed a Prohibition Order, indefinitely removing Miss Smith from the Register of Education Practitioners in the category of further education teacher. It also decided she could not apply to rejoin the register for four years to February 9, 2026.
Hayley Woodall
A work-based learning practitioner who faked a learner's signature was slapped with an official reprimand at a fitness to practise hearing held remotely on February 18. The committee found an allegation of unacceptable professional conduct proved against Hayley Woodall.
The EWC panel found the following allegations proven:
- That whilst employed as a trainee assessor at Sirius Skills Ltd Miss Woodall: 1. On or around 5 March 2019 and/or 20 May 2019, signed a progress achievement record in respect of Learner B, purporting this to be the signature of Employer C.
- On or around 19 July 2019, signed a progress achievement record in respect of Learner A, purporting this to be the signature of Learner A.
The panel agreed Miss Woodall’s conduct in relation to this was “dishonest and demonstrated a lack of integrity”. A reprimand was placed on Miss Woodall’s registration as work based learning practitioner for two years February 18 2022 to February 81 2024.
Saira Taylor
A coughing supply teacher was reprimanded after she taught lessons at a Cardiff school while waiting for results of a coronavirus test which later came back positive.
An EWC panel found all five allegations against Saira Taylor proven following a remote fitness to practise committee hearing on March 1 and 2, 2022. They found her actions amounted to unacceptable professional conduct.
The committee imposed a reprimand on Miss Taylor’s registration for two years from March 2, 2022 until March 2, 2024. Miss Taylor will be able to work as a registered person (school teacher) in a maintained school or non-maintained special school in Wales for the period of the reprimand.
Gail June Edwards
School learning support worker Gail June Edwards was banned from the classroom after a number of allegations were found proved, including theft and possession of cannabis.
At a remote hearing on March 30, 2022, an EWC fitness to practise committee found an allegation of unacceptable professional conduct and a relevant offence proved against Ms Edwards.
The panel found the following allegations proven. That while employed as a teaching assistant at Ty Gwyn Education Centre, Ms Edwards:
- On one or more occasions on dates unknown, possessed and used a Class B drug, namely cannabis.
- Between around January 2020 and October 2020, did not follow the absence management procedures of the centre, in that she did not: a) keep the centre updated on a minimum of a weekly basis, or at all, as to the ongoing reason for absence and estimated return to work date; b) attend occupational health and wellbeing appointments which were arranged
- On or around 11 June 2019: a) said to a learner of the centre that she would ask a colleague if you could give him a cigarette, or words to that effect; b) asked a colleague in front of the learner if she could give the learner one of her cigarettes. As such the committee found Ms Edwards guilty of unacceptable professional conduct.
- On October 9 2020 was convicted of the theft on August 3 2020 of a wallet containing a Santander bank card in the victim’s name, a driver’s license in the victim’s name, and £65 cash, contrary to section 1(1) and 7 of the Theft Act 1968. As a consequence of this offence, on 9 October 2020, Ms Edwards was sentenced to a fine of £293 and ordered to pay compensation of £65. As such, the committee found Mr Edwards guilty of “a relevant offence”.
The committee imposed a Prohibition Order, indefinitely removing Ms Edwards from the Register of Education Practitioners in the category of school learning support worker. It also decided she cannot apply to re-join the register for two years. If she does not make a successful application to be eligible to re-join the register after March 30, 2024, she will remain prohibited indefinitely.
Michael John Drew
A “sexist” lecturer found with two suitcases full of porn in a college cupboard was banned from teaching for two years. Michael Drew, a senior lecturer at the Newtown Campus of Neath Port Talbot Group of Colleges, was found to have stored a “voluminous” collection of pornographic films with titles such as ‘Spring Break’ and ‘Dorm Room Fantasies’ on the campus between 2015 and 2020.
An EWC hearing on April 1, 2022, found Mr Drew breached professional standards after he stored two suitcases full of “thousands” of pornographic images on the campus. Mr Drew, who worked in the college electrical department and had a second job as an erotic photographer, was also found to have behaved in an “inappropriate and sexist” manner to both staff and students on several occasions.
Mr Drew was struck off for two years until April 1, 2024, after which he will be eligible to re-apply to the EWC register.
Heather Davies
A high school teacher caught on a CCTV camera hitting a pupil twice on the head and pulling his ear in class was reprimanded. Heather Davies was teaching a maths lesson in an IT suite at Afon Taf High School in Merthyr Tydfil when her actions were recorded, a fitness to practise hearing sitting remotely on May 3-4, 2022, was told.
The incident in a maths lesson happened in front of other staff and pupils and was also recorded on camera. The pupil, referred to only as Pupil A to protect his identity, said he was hurt and Miss Davies’ “long nails” caught him on the temple. The experienced teacher, who did not attend the remote Education Workforce Council (EWC) hearing and was not represented as a result, apologised profusely in writing but made no formal pleas to allegations that she hit Pupil A.
In comments read to the panel Miss Davies, a basic skills teacher who had worked at Afon Taf High since 2013, said her actions were meant in a “jocular” way and not to be aggressive or malicious. She described herself as “clipping” rather than hitting Pupil A, and said she “absolutely loves” teaching, and was “devastated” this could now be in jeopardy.
Finding all the allegations against Miss Davies proven the committee found that together they amounted to unacceptable professional conduct. The panel issued Miss Davies with an official reprimand which will stay on her record for two years until May 4, 2023.
Peter Andrew Spencer
A headteacher who told staff to fiddle his school’s attendance figures to log pupils as present when they were not in classes and then tried to influence an official investigation was banned from the classroom in Wales by an EWC panel in May.
Peter Andrew Spencer began the five year long deception at Queen Elizabeth High in Carmarthen after an Estyn inspection recommended attendance was improved, a professional standards hearing on May 11 and 12, 2022 was told. Schools get more funding and rank better on national performance measures the higher attendance is.
More than 28,000 pupil absences at the bilingual school were changed to showing as present between 2014 and 2019 before a member of staff reported it, the committee heard. Mr Spencer, who left the 1,500-pupil school with a financial settlement from Camarthenshire Council in 2020 after nine years in post, told members of staff to falsify attendance data on the School Information Management System, witnesses told the hearing.
Striking him off the teaching register in Wales, committee chair Peter Owen said: “In the committee’s view this was a protracted, serious instance of misconduct over many years.” The EWC panel found an allegation of unacceptable professional conduct proved against Mr Spencer. The committee imposed a Prohibition Order, indefinitely removing Mr Spencer from the Register of Education Practitioners in the category of school teacher. It also decided Mr her may not make an application for restoration to register for five years until May 12 2027.
Jonathan Davies
A school learning support worker who told a pupil “sit down or I’ll punch you” (or words to that effect), repeatedly used the internet for personal reasons during teaching time and was convicted for drink driving was banned from the classroom for two years and found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct.
An EWC fitness to Practise Committee sitting remotely on May 24, 25 and 26, 2022 found allegations of ‘unacceptable professional conduct’ and ‘a relevant offence’ proved against Jonathan Davies, who worked as a teaching assistant at Ysgol Bro Banw in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire.
The committee imposed a Prohibition Order, indefinitely removing Mr Davies from the Register of Education Practitioners in the category of school learning support worker and agreed he could not apply to rejoin the register for two years until after May 26, 2024.
Lynsey Cruikshank
A teacher at Coleg Cymunedol Y Dderwen, who entered “pass” grades for up to 86 learners on exam board WJEC’s internal assessment mark system, without ensuring each learner had completed the assessment criteria, was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and reprimanded.
The panel imposed a reprimand on Mrs Cruickshank’s registration as a school teacher for two years until May 26, 2024. Mrs Cruickshank will be able to work as a registered person (school teacher) in a maintained school or non-maintained special school in Wales for the period of the Reprimand.
Eric Jones
A college instructor who swore at a staff member before asking him to fight him has been banned from teaching. A EWC hearing from June 6-8, 2022, was told Eric Jones, an instructor technician at The College Merthyr, was involved in an alleged altercation with another staff member after he felt they were receiving “preferential treatment.”
Mr Jones, who had been employed at the college since 2008, was said to have approached John Collins, also an instructor technician at the college, in “an aggressive and threatening manner,” to have “invited [him] to get into a fight,” and to have sworn at him. The hearing was told the incident had occurred on November 15, 2019, after Mr Collins was asked to cover a lesson while another member of staff was on sick leave.
The panel was told that Mr Jones, who was not present at the hearing, was heard to have said: “If you want a fight we can” and “I’ve had a gutsful of you”, or words to that effect, to Mr Collins during the incident. He also referred to Mr Collins as an “a***-licker” and “nothing but a b*****d” as well as saying: “Come on, I’m not afraid of you” and “stay the f*** away from me” or words to that effect.
The panel found an allegation of ‘unacceptable professional conduct’ proved against Mr Jones. The panel removed Mr Jones from the Register of Education Practitioners in the category of further education teacher and further education school learning support worker and said he may not apply to be eligible to re-join for two years until June 8 2024.
Georgina Claire Cohen
A school teacher who took two tables from a school without permission was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and banned from the classroom for at least two years. An EWC Fitness to Practise Committee, sitting remotely on January 17 and 18, and also on June 6-8, 2022 found an allegation of unacceptable professional conduct proved against school teacher, Georgina Claire Cohen, who was working at at Hawarden High School in Flintshire.
The committee imposed a reprimand on Mrs Cohen’s registration as a school teacher for two years to June 8, 2024. Mrs Cohen will be able to work as a registered person (school teacher) in a maintained school or non-maintained special school in Wales for the period of the reprimand.
Rhian Actie
A senior school support worker who knowingly allowed her son to grow cannabis at her address was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and given an official reprimand. Rhian Actie was working at Ysgol Glan Morfa Welsh medium primary in Cardiff when police found cannabis being grown at her property, a professional standards hearing was told.
Ms Actie received an Out of Court Disposal method in relation to the offence of knowingly permitting the production of the controlled Class B drug at her address, members of the Education Workforce Wales panel heard on July 6. An Out of Court Disposal is a method of resolving an investigation for offenders of low-level crime and anti-social behaviour when the offender is known and admits the offence.
In April, 2019, Miss Actie was put on a Women’s Pathfinder Programme, rather than being charged with any offence in relation to the offence, the panel heard.
Patrick Llewelyn, presenting officer for the EWC, told the committee that police had found eight cannabis plants set up with lights, fans and venting in the dining room of Ms Actie’s property. More plants were found in the first floor front room, occupied by her son as well as lights and vents in an out house off the dining area. Miss Actie and her 23 year-old son, were taken into custody.
The senior school support worker admitted to knowing the co-accused, her son, had been producing cannabis on her premises, but denied involvement in the production, or using the drug and said she had asked him to remove the plants, the EWC committee was told.
Although she did not admit or deny any of the allegations Miss Actie said that she did not consider she had behaved unprofessionally, the panel, which met virtually, was told. Members found all allegations proved and imposed an official reprimand on Miss Actie.
Ceri Lewis
An education support worker was involved in a drunken street brawl over parking spaces which left a man "covered in blood", a hearing was told. Ceri Lewis, a support worker based at Beaufort Hill Primary School in Ebbw Vale, was handed a 12-month community order last year for her involvement in an incident which left a man with lacerations to his hand and fingers after being attacked with a glass at a street party.
An EWC hearing on July 14, 2022, heard police received a call at around 10.28pm on September 18, 2020, from a man saying that people had been fighting in the street. When police attended one man, referred to as defendant B, said his friend had been assaulted and was "covered in blood." They then discovered another man, referred to as defendant A, with lacerations to his hand and fingers.
Presenting officer Luke Lambourne told the hearing defendant A had been approached by a man in relation to parking in the street on the night the incident occurred. He said this had turned into a heated argument followed by a physical fight in which a "glass was smashed." At Cardiff Crown Court on September 28, 2021, Lewis was convicted of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour with intent to provoke violence. She was later given a 12-month community order at a sentencing hearing on October 19 last year. It was heard that Lewis had not instigated the incident, but intervened after the fight broke out between the defendants and her partner.
Lewis did not attend the hearing but was represented by her sister Christie Williams, who read a statement on Lewis' behalf. She said there had been "no scientific evidence" that the injuries caused had been as a result of glass and that this had simply been a "magistrate's opinion". She said defendants A and B had come to the social gathering uninvited and that her sister had not instigated the incident but rather was intervening after the fight broke out between the defendants and her partner.
Both the allegations that Lewis – whose address was given as Bryn Coch, Beaufort, Ebbw Vale, at the time of her court proceedings – had been convicted of the offence and its relevance to her fitness to practise were found proven by the EWC committee. The committee decided on a reprimand meaning Lewis's ability to practice would not be affected. The reprimand came into effect immediately for a period of two years.
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