Headteacher let daughter hold school sleepover
A HEADTEACHER gave her teenage daughter the keys to a primary school so she could host a sleepover at which a child drank alcohol, a tribunal heard.
Catherine Newson allowed her daughter to use Newbrough Church of England Primary School in Hexham, Northumberland, on May 21 last year.
She switched off the security alarm and let the group of four stay over at the school after they had attended a party.
At a tribunal held by the National College for Teaching and Leadership, Mrs Newson admitted letting the girls stay over without adult supervision and that one child had consumed alcohol on the premises. But she will not face disciplinary action after the panel ruled it was a “one-off error of judgment”.
Three days after the sleepover, Mrs Newson received an anonymous email alleging that a safeguarding issue had arisen at the school regarding a teenager.
The tribunal heard she immediately reported the issue and an internal investigation took place. She resigned from her role on Sept 8 last year.
During her evidence, she said she did not know if any of the children had consumed alcohol and her admission was based on her daughter’s account of “others” who had been drinking at the party visiting the school later in the evening.
The panel found her actions “fell significantly short of the standards expected” but it decided against giving her a prohibition order after she showed remorse and the incident appeared to be a “one-off ”.
Mrs Newson had enjoyed a successful spell as headteacher at two schools, with both rated “good” by Ofsted following inspections.