Drunk teaching assistant given reprimand

TWO weeks after starting work at a primary school a highly regarded teaching assistant was found drunk in a classroom.

But the Education Workforce Council’s fitness to practice committee decided a reprimand was enough of a sanction against Katherine Herbert, who said she did not intend to work in education again.

Mrs Herbert, from Porthmadog, did not attend yesterday’s hearing and was not represented.

The allegation against her, which she admitted, was that on September 26 2016, she attended Ysgol Borth y Gest, near Porthmadog, while under the influence of alcohol, which constituted unacceptable professional conduct.

Headteacher Joanna Thomas told the committee that Mrs Herbert started to work part-time at the school that month, providing one-to-one supervision for a boy, identified only as Pupil A, who had transferred there from Ysgol y Gorlan in nearby Tremadog.

On September 26, however, a colleague reported to Mrs Thomas that Mrs Herbert appeared drunk while in a classroom with the boy.

She told investigators she had drunk three quarters of a bottle of wine that morning and had a lift to school with Pupil A’s mother.

Mrs Herbert was suspended immediately but resigned before a disciplinary hearing was called.

In her absence a letter was read to the committee by legal advisor Delme Griffith. In it she said she had no intention of going back into education, adding she was “very sorry”.

Announcing the committee’s findings, chairman Gareth Roberts said the reprimand would remain on Mrs Herbert’s record for two years.