'Slurring' teacher who smelled of alcohol banned

A teacher accused of being unfit to work due to alcohol consumption has been banned from the profession.

Tina Digby, 47, was handed the prohibition order from a Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel over her time at Colnbrook Church of England Primary School in Slough.

The panel found that Digby had been unfit to teach on 4 October 2023 after a colleague she was "slurring her words" and her eyes were "glazed" during a morning meeting.

When challenged, Digby, who claimed she had "never had alcohol in a teaching environment", said she had drank two large glasses of wine the previous night.

The issue was referred to another member of staff, who deemed Digby unfit to work and said he instructed her to go home.

He said he was concerned about the safety of pupils and did not believe the "strong smell of alcohol" was only from drinks consumed the previous evening.

The panel also found Digby had acted dishonestly by failing to disclose that she was subject to a separate TRA investigation when she joined the school in September 2023.

When a senior colleague later confronted her about the case, she wrongly claimed the proceedings had been closed.

The panel concluded her actions were a deliberate attempt to conceal the allegations.

Two other claims that Digby had been impaired by alcohol on separate dates were not upheld.

The panel said Digby's behaviour "fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession", and that it had no evidence she had shown insight or remorse, noting she had branded the allegations "ridiculous" in a letter to the TRA.

Digby did not attend the hearing, telling the TRA it was "a complete waste of time and money", the panel heard.

Decision maker Stuart Blomfield, on behalf of the secretary of state, banned Digby from teaching indefinitely on 17 July. She may apply for the prohibition order to be set aside from July 2030.