Drink driving, drinking alcohol at work, making comments of a sexual and inappropriate nature and friending an under-18 former pupil on Facebook were among the misdemeanours that saw school, college and work-based training staff banned or reprimanded this term. During another busy term, the body responsible for maintaining professional standards in teaching has also been hard at work.
The Education Workforce Council (EWC) Wales is tasked with maintaining standards of professional conduct among teachers and support staff in schools and colleges. It can strike staff off, or impose official reprimands, if misconduct is found proven. Striking people off the register means they cannot return to work in classrooms or colleges before a set period of time and without applying to re-register – and even then there’s no guarantee.
Other matters that have come before EWC Fitness to practise committees since January include a teacher who stuck a tampon up his nose and one who moved lessons online without permission. Members of the committee include retired and working teachers, headteachers, learning support workers and other education staff. Try WalesOnline Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features
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The cases that came before the EWC this term:
Amy Jane Cunniffe
Learning support worker Amy Jane Cunniffe got a year long ban from the classroom after being convicted of drink driving and failing to provide a specimen for analysis. An EWC Fitness to Practise Committee of the Education Workforce Council (EWC), sitting remotely on 16 January 2024, found allegations of unacceptable professional conduct and a relevant offence proved against Miss Cunniffe proved.
The panel found the following allegations proven, that:
A) whilst employed as a teaching assistant, Miss Cunniffe, on 31 October 2022, drove a car under the influence of alcohol which put others at risk.
B) on 15 November 2022, Miss Cunniffe was convicted of failing to provide a specimen for analysis (driving or attempting to drive) on 31 October 2022. As a consequence of this offence, she was sentenced to a community order for 12 months with an unpaid work requirement, a rehabilitation activity requirement and disqualified from driving for 36 months.
The Fitness to Practise Committee imposed a Suspension Order (without conditions) upon Miss Cunniffe’s registration as a school learning support worker for 12 months (from 16 January 2024 until 16 January 2025). Miss Cunniffe will not be able to work as a registered person (school learning support worker) in a maintained school or non-maintained special school in Wales for the period of the suspension. For the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter
Kate Morris
Marking students as present face to face when a lesson had been online, marking learners as present online when they were absent, and cancelling lessons and moving them online without permission were among some of the actions which saw FE and school teacher Kate Morris get an official reprimand on her registration.
An EWC Fitness to Practise Committee, sitting remotely on February 20 to 23, 2024, found an allegation of unacceptable professional conduct proven.
The panel found the following allegations proven, that Ms Morris:
1. Between approximately September, 2021, and February, 2022, did not ensure that registers were
completed accurately in that she:
a) Marked learners as having attended a face-to-face lesson when the lesson had been undertaken
online.
b) Marked learners as present online when the learner had not attended the lesson.
c) Marked learners as present in lessons when these learners were not undertaking the
programme.
2. Did not teach the Access to High Education (AHE) Health course for all and/or part of the timetabled period by:
a) Starting lessons late and/or finishing lessons early.
b) Altering start and finish times.
c) Cancelling lessons.
d) Moving lessons online without the permission of her line manager.
3. Did not provide adequate support and/or feedback to learners in that she did not:
a) Return work to learners in a timely manner.
b) Ensure that UCAS forms were submitted in a timely manner.
The committee imposed a reprimand upon Ms Morris’s registration as a further education teacher and school teacher for two years from February 23, 2024, to February 23, 2026. As such she will be able to work as a registered person (further education teacher) who provides specific services in or for a further education institution in Wales. She will also be able to work as registered person (school teacher) in a maintained school or non-maintained special school in Wales.
Michael Walsh
An EWC Fitness to Practise Committee sitting remotely on January 23 and 24, 2024, found allegations of relevant offences and unacceptable professional conduct proved against school learning support worker, Michael Walsh.
The panel struck him off the register for a year until January 24, 2025. Mr Walsh will not be able to work as a registered person (school learning support worker) in a maintained school or non-maintained special school in Wales for the period of the suspension order. After January 24, 2025, he will again become eligible for registration provided that he complies with the conditions imposed. No other details were given.
Isaac Harrison
Sticking a tampon up his nose in class was one of the reasons which saw school teacher Isaac Harrison get an official reprimand on his registration. An EWC Fitness to Practise Committee, sitting remotely on January 29, found an allegation of unacceptable professional conduct proved against him.
The panel found the following allegations proven: that Mr Harrison, whilst employed as a school teacher at Archbishop McGrath RC Comprehensive School in Bridgend :
1. Between January and March, 2022, put a tampon up his nose.
2. On or around March 10, 2022, encouraged a pupil with additional learning needs, Pupil C, to send a text message to another pupil, Pupil D, which concerned their relationship.
3. Asked Pupil F to take a photo of them and the class when there was no valid reason for doing so.
The committee imposed a reprimand on Mr Harrison’s registration as a school teacher for two years until February 1, 2026. As such, Mr Harrison 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.
Michael Gumm
Making comments of a sexual and inappropriate nature, discussing inappropriate personal information with a learner and inviting one or more learners to contact him on Facebook saw learning support worker Michael Gumm, who worked at The College, Merthyr Tydfil, struck off.
An EWC Fitness to Practise Committee, sitting remotely from February 5-7 found allegations of unacceptable professional conduct proved against work-based learning practitioner and further education learning support worker, Michael Gumm. The panel found the following allegations proven, that whilst employed as an assessor by Tydfil Training Consortium (TTC) and working at The College Merthyr Tydfil, Mr Gumm:
1. Made comments of a sexual and inappropriate nature on a number of occasions in or around October, 2022.
2. In or around October 18, 2022, discussed inappropriate personal information with Learner B and Learner C.
3. On a date or dates between October 11, 2022, and October 18, 2022, invited one or more learners to contact him on Facebook.
The Fitness to Practise Committee imposed a prohibition order, indefinitely removing Mr Gumm from the Register of Education Practitioners in the category of further education learning support worker and work based learning practitioner. It also decided Mr Gumm may not make an application for restoration to the Register of Education Practitioners before a period of two years. Should Mr Gumm not make a successful application for eligibility for restoration to the Register after February 7, 2026, he will remain prohibited indefinitely.
Teresa Annette Scutt
Drinking alcohol at work during work hours and failing to pour alcohol away when asked to were among the actions which saw work-based learning practitioner Teresa Annette Scutt struck off the teaching register for three years. An EWC Fitness to Practise Committee, sitting remotely on February 20-22, 2024, found an allegation of unacceptable professional conduct proved against her.
The panel found the following allegations proven: That whilst employed as a youth engagement tutor at COPA (North Wales Training), Miss Scutt:
1. On September 5, 2022, shared sensitive, confidential information with Colleague A in the presence of Colleague B and Learner B.
2. On February 24, 2021, attended a court hearing during work hours and failed to pre-authorise this absence with their line manager.
3. On October 26, 2020, consumed alcohol during work hours.
4. On October 26, 2020, failed to pour the alcohol away when requested to by Colleague C.
Having made these findings, the committee also determined that Miss Scutt’s conduct at paragraph 2 above was dishonest. The committee imposed a Prohibition Order, indefinitely removing Miss Scutt from the Register of Education Practitioners in the category of work-based learning practitioner. It also decided she may not make an application for restoration to the register for three years. Should Miss Scutt not make a successful application for eligibility for restoration to the register after February 22, 2027, she will remain prohibited indefinitely.
Shon Prebble
Award-winning former Ysgol Bryn Alyn School science teacher, Shôn Gwynedd Prebble, was slapped with an official reprimand on his registration after “inappropriate and unprofessional use of social media” with a former pupil who was under 18 at the time. An EWC Fitness to Practise Committee also found he had not complied with safeguarding training. The panel, sitting remotely on February 27-29, found an allegation of unacceptable professional conduct against him proved.
The committee found the following allegations proven: that Mr Prebble, whilst employed as a school teacher at Ysgol Bryn Alyn School, Wrexham:
1. Between September, 2022, and November, 2022, engaged in an inappropriate and unprofessional use of social media with former Pupil A, who is still a child.
2. As a result of his conduct above Mr Prebble did not comply with safeguarding training.
The panel placed a reprimand on Mr Prebble’s registration as a school teacher for two years until February 28, 2026. As such, Mr Prebble 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.
Ceri Ann Ridge
Bridgend College equine centre supervisor Ceri Ann Ridge was sacked after losing her temper with a student in an incident which saw her throw a riding crop at his car and call him a p**** . Ceri Ann Ridge tried to snatch the 18-year-old’s car keys from the ignition, threw the crop at his car causing him to slam on the brakes, and pointed her finger near his face, an EWC professional standards hearing was told.
The hearing was told Ridge and others had raised concerns with Bridgend College management about the speed at which people drove past the equine centre to reach the college car park. But she couldn’t be certain how fast the teenager was driving when she lost her temper with him.
A panel sitting on March 12-13 found the following allegations against Ms Ridge proved:
That in March, 2023 she:
1.a) Shouted at Student A through their car window; and/or
b) Attempted to remove Student A’s car keys from the ignition of their car; and/or
c) Pointed your finger in close proximity to Student A’s face; and/or
d) Threw a riding crop at Student A’s car.
2. The conduct was inappropriate and/or intimidating.
3. The facts above constitute unacceptable professional conduct
The committee found all the allegations proved and that they amounted to unacceptable professional conduct. The panel placed a reprimand on her registration for two years. As such she can work in a college for the period of the reprimand.
