Banned teacher was 'under influence of alcohol'

A teacher at a private primary school who was accused of being under the influence of alcohol at work has been barred from the profession.

Emma Taylor-Erwin admitted driving to fee-paying Mount School in Huddersfield while under the influence around June 2019, according to the findings of a teaching misconduct panel.

Five years later she was convicted of failing to provide a specimen to police.

Taylor-Erwin, who accepted all the claims against her, was told she would not be able to apply for her teaching ban to be lifted until 2031.

The panel found that Taylor-Erwin had been accused of teaching under the influence of alcohol "and/or" smelling of alcohol while at work at the school on two separate occasions, in 2018 and 2023.

It was said that on the first occasion, one individual had seen an "open bottle" in the teacher's bag and "thought she could smell it on her".

On the second occasion, five years later, a witness was said to have described her behaviour in the classroom as "unusual" before describing the smell of alcohol on her breath as "unmistakable".

The teacher, who had worked at Mount School since 2009, resigned from her position at the school in November 2024, 17 days before she was convicted at Huddersfield Magistrates' Court of two counts of failing to provide a specimen.

A statement provided to the panel from Taylor-Erwin in advance said: "I admit to the allegations and understand that my conduct was unacceptable and will amount to serious misconduct."

As a result of her admitting the claims, no hearing took place and the panel's findings were published by the Teaching Regulation Agency last month.

The panel concluded that a banning order stopping her from teaching was "proportionate and in the public interest".

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