Alice Ashton ‘swigged’ alcohol mixed with orange squash during a lesson that ‘spiralled out of control’ and turned into a ‘mini-rave with loud music, shouting, and dancing’
A teacher who went into work under the influence of alcohol before carrying out a “rave-type” lesson and swearing at pupils has been been struck off and banned from the classroom.
Alice Ashton, who taught Welsh as a second language and personal and social education at Ysgol Bro Caerinion in Welshpool, “swigged” alcohol during a lesson and told the class they were “little s****” among other swear words.
A string of allegations about Aston’s drinking and inappropriate behaviour at work were proven as an Education Workforce Council (EWC) Wales committee struck her off the teaching register indefinitely. One pupil, giving evidence in person, described how Ashton urged the class to get up and dance the Macarena as she drank from an Evian water bottle that contained orange squash and what smelled like alcohol.
Other evidence from pupils that was read out at the hearing included descriptions of Ashton playing music through the lesson from her laptop until the lesson “spiralled out of control” and “felt like a mini-rave with loud music, shouting, and dancing.” Another pupil claimed the teacher was “acting crazy” and her walking was wobbly.
The committee also heard how the teacher, who was 29 at the time of the January 2024 incident, used the words “s***” and “f***” and went on to tell one boy to “sit the f*** down.” At one point she said: “At 29 I don’t need to be dealing with this s***.”
A claim Ashton stuck her middle finger up at a pupil was not proven. An allegation that she stopped two boys from leaving the unruly classroom was also not proven. Committee chair Steve Powell explained that although she could be seen on CCTV preventing the boys leaving, it was not clear what her reasons for that were.
Mr Powell said the CCTV footage, shown in private to the committee, also showed Ashton gesticulating wildly as she walked around the classroom drinking liquid from a bottle. When it was empty she was seen throwing it in a bin.
The school’s deputy head teacher Edward Baldwin and a colleague had smelled and “tasted” what remained in the bottle after being alerted by pupils and their parents. Mr Baldwin told the panel he deduced it was alcohol.
The school then tested the liquid and found it was indeed alcohol. This information could not be used during an official school inquiry as the school had no alcohol testing policy, the committee was told.
When reading out their findings following the hearing, which was carried out remotely from June 30 to July 2, the committee chair said Ashton had not engaged with the process, nor had she shown remorse or apology, and demonstrated no insight into her actions.
He added while Ashton denied the allegations during the inquiry, she had not responded to any of the allegations or engaged in any way with the proceedings. She did email to say she was no longer liver in Wales and no longer worked as a teacher.
Ashton was also found to have been convicted of driving with alcohol over the limit on August 19, 2023, and as a consequence was sentenced to a 12-month order, 200 hours of unpaid work, and disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 28 months. She was also found to have appeared under the influence and/or smelt of alcohol while at work.
It was found the proven allegations amounted to unacceptable professional conduct by Ashton. The panel decided Ashton may not apply to be reinstated until two years from the decision.
Should she want to be reinstated, she must convince a fresh panel that she should be re-admitted. Should she fail to re-apply successfully she remains banned from teaching in Wales indefinitely. Ashton has the right of appeal to the High Court within 28 days.
