Headteacher sacked after leaving alcohol in reach of SEND pupils

A former headmistress has been banned from teaching for keeping a secret stash of booze in her office.

Leanne Grove, 44, was suspended from Hazeldene School in Bedford in March 2023 after a teaching assistant spotted an empty gin and tonic can in her handbag.

An investigation into her alleged misconduct found that Ms Grove stored alcohol in her office, which was used by SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) pupils at the primary school.

A haul of opened and unopened alcohol in cupboards and containers was then found in her office by school bosses.

Ms Grove admitted stashing alcohol in open containers and unlocked cupboards.

The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) misconduct panel ruled that ‘alcohol could have been accessed and consumed by persons using the office, including SEND pupils’, which Ms Grove also admitted.

She was found to have ‘stored alcohol in her office, when this was not permitted and she knew that to be the case’.

In a written submission to the panel, Ms Grove said: ‘In the weeks proceeding my suspension I admit that I did consume alcohol on the
premises – prior to a governors meeting and after a parents’ evening.

‘I did this in my office when there were not pupils in school.’

However, she did not reveal the quantity of alcohol she had consumed.

Ms Grove said she had ‘moved on in terms of her career and had no desire to return to teaching’ and admitted she had ‘let down the whole school community’.

The panel said: ‘Ms Grove held a position of trust and responsibility as a headteacher and was required to be a role model to other staff and pupils.

‘It is inappropriate to bring onto, and consume, alcohol within a school environment other than for specific, controlled and appropriate reasons: a large number of alcoholic drinks were located in Ms Grove’s office, some opened and some not.

‘This amounted to a breach of her professional obligations, regardless of how much alcohol Ms Grove had consumed.

‘There were also safeguarding and health and safety concerns given that, on the basis of the evidence available, the panel considered that the possibility of a pupil accessing alcohol was not remote.

‘There was reference to the office occasionally being left unlocked and pupils, particularly when they were distressed, regularly using it.

‘In that regard, Ms Grove showed a distinct lack of judgement. Even the presence of empty drinks being potentially visible to pupils was a matter of concern.’

The TRA added that Ms Grove’s behaviour ‘amounted to misconduct of a serious nature which fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession’.

Signing off on the ban on behalf of education secretary Bridget Phillipson, civil servant David Oatley said: ‘There is some risk of the repetition of this behaviour and this puts at risk the future wellbeing of pupils.’

Ms Grove has been banned from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or
children’s home in England.

She may apply for the prohibition order to be set aside, but not until 2027 – two years from the date of this order at the earliest.

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