Teacher seen drinking in class banned indefinitely

A primary school teacher seen drinking in class has been banned from the profession indefinitely.

Steven Ward was working at Southwark Primary School in Basford, Nottingham, when he was seen "under the influence of alcohol during school hours" on three separate days in November 2023.

One witness said they saw him taking a can from his bag and drinking "followed by a mint after each mouthful".

The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) said the 41-year-old denied the allegations, but a panel determined he was guilty of "unacceptable professional conduct".

The panel said on 9 November 2023 witnesses in Ward's class saw him "drinking [from] a bright blue can out of his bag" which continued "for the duration of the afternoon, while taking a mint after every drink".

Ward was also said to have been "repeatedly displaying unusual 'personal behaviour' on this day", which the panel found was evidence of him being under the influence.

"Both witnesses commented on Mr Ward's behaviour on this day as being particularly odd," the TRA report said.

Ward denied the drink in his can was alcohol. The panel said he acknowledged the way he drank from it could have appeared "furtive" but found against him on the balance of probabilities.

A second incident of drinking from a can kept in his bag was reported on 10 November, while on the morning of 13 November another person reported a "strong smell of alcohol" during a meeting.

Ward told a witness in that meeting that he had drunk alcohol the night before but not that morning, but he was found by the panel to be under the influence.

The panel was also told Ward was previously subject to disciplinary proceedings and warnings due to receiving a suspended sentence for driving under the influence of alcohol and without a licence.

The TRA said his actions "amounted to misconduct of a serious nature which fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession" and "would potentially damage the public's perception of a teacher".

The prohibition order cannot be reviewed until 22 January 2029 at the earliest.

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