Cirencester Teacher Allowed to Continue Career After Alcohol Incident on School Trip

Laura Colledge, who was head of Year 7 and an English teacher at Kingshill School from 2017 to 2023, was found to have brought and consumed alcohol during a school-organised trip to Whitemoor Lakes in Staffordshire in June 2022.

The misconduct occurred during a Year 7 residential trip that Ms Colledge had personally organised. The trip, which hosted around 130 to 140 pupils over two three-day sessions from June 27 to July 1, was part of an annual school tradition. The centre where the trip took place enforces a strict no-alcohol policy.

On the first evening of the trip, a fellow teacher discovered Ms Colledge lying on the bed in her room around 6 p.m.—a time when she was expected to be at dinner with students. She was initially unresponsive and, when roused, appeared disoriented and drowsy. Witnesses noted that she seemed unwell, and a packet of tablets, partially used, was also found in her room. Although the tablets were suspected to be either paracetamol or antihistamines, no definite conclusion was reached about their impact.

Concerned colleagues arranged for her to eat something, which appeared to help her regain full consciousness. However, later that same evening, Ms Colledge was again found in a distressed state and, after further concern about her wellbeing, it was decided she should be sent home. By 8:30 p.m., she was collected from the site.

Following the incident, an investigation revealed two bottles of red wine—one empty and the other half full—two empty beer cans, and a mug containing what appeared to be red wine in her room. Wine stains were also observed on the furniture, adding to the evidence that alcohol had been consumed on-site.

Ms Colledge admitted to bringing two bottles of wine with her, which she said were intended as thank-you gifts for colleagues. She claimed the beer cans had been unknowingly packed by her partner. Despite admitting to bringing the alcohol, she denied drinking it at the centre and said she could not remember the events in question. She attributed her condition to medication and a lack of food, not alcohol consumption.

A teacher misconduct panel reviewed the case and ultimately found the allegations against Ms Colledge to be substantiated. The panel concluded that she had, more likely than not, consumed alcohol at the centre and that her ability to carry out her duties had been impaired, at least in part, due to this alcohol consumption in combination with medication.

The panel determined that this behavior constituted unacceptable professional conduct and behavior that could discredit the teaching profession. However, it also deemed the incident to be of lower severity. Ms Colledge’s conduct was considered to be an isolated lapse rather than indicative of a broader pattern of unprofessional behavior.

The panel also took into account her previously unblemished record, her remorse, and the steps she had taken since the incident to address her wellbeing. She expressed sincere regret, acknowledging that she had underestimated her condition at the time and now recognized that she should not have attended the trip in her state. She also outlined measures she had taken to improve her coping mechanisms and build a support system.

David Oatley, the decision-maker acting on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education, accepted the panel’s findings and emphasized Ms Colledge’s evident remorse, the absence of harm to pupils, and the mitigating factors involved. He acknowledged her past contributions to education and her potential to continue positively impacting the profession. Consequently, he ruled that a prohibition order banning her from teaching would not be proportionate or serve the public interest.

Despite the seriousness of the misconduct, the decision reflects a broader recognition of the teacher’s otherwise strong professional record and a commitment to rehabilitation over punishment.

A Cirencester teacher who consumed alcohol during a school residential trip has been permitted to continue her teaching career following a professional misconduct hearing.

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