Pupils say teacher swigged alcoholic-smelling drink and asked class to do Macarena in 'rave-like' lesson

Wales Online

16 hours ago

Pupils say teacher swigged alcoholic-smelling drink and asked class to do Macarena in 'rave-like' lesson
Teacher Alice Ashton was 'happy and lively' during a 'rave-like' lesson before turning on pupils calling them 'little s***s' and making rude hand gestures, a professional standards panel was told
Pupils have described how a teacher allegedly drank alcohol during a lesson and played music as she tried to get the class to dance the Macarena. "Swigging" from a bottle Alice Ashton was "smiley and happy" but then became "agitated", swore, and made rude hand gestures, one teenager claimed.
Giving evidence in person on the second day of a professional standards hearing the 16 year-old said Ashton drank orange liquid which smelled of alcohol throughout a personal and social education lesson at Ysgol Bro Caereinion in Welshpool.
‌
The normally quiet teacher played music from her laptop and was behaving out of character during the "rave-like" lesson, the Education Workforce Council (EWC) Wales panel heard on Tuesday July 1.
‌
When the class became unsettled Ashton shouted and swore at at least two pupils as well as telling the whole class they were "little s***s", the hearing, held remotely, was told. Sign up for our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here.
The 16 year-old pupil, referred to only as Pupil H to protect her identity, told the panel how pupils discussed afterwards how odd the teacher's behaviour had been. She was later interviewed as part of an investigation by the school into the matter.
The teenager said Ashton had taught her PSE numerous times before the lesson in January 2024 when she had behaved differently from usual. The pupil said Ashton's "boring" PSE lessons followed content she was familiar with and included alcohol and drug awareness but not on that day.
Article continues below
Sitting in the front row of the class Pupil H said she was near enough to smell alcohol, mixed with what appeared to be orange squash, contained in an Evian water bottle from which Ashton was drinking. The bottle was full at the start of the lesson and almost empty by the end.
"She was very, very close to us. There was a slight alcoholic smell. She was very, very lively and quite animated and speaking with her hands.... in other lessons she was more reserved and quiet."
Pupil H went on: "Alice Ashton had an Evian bottle with orange juice. I noticed she was regularly taking swigs from the bottle.
‌
"I recall Alice Ashton asked the class to make the Macarena. She played music and we were not doing work."
The teenager described how Ashton "kept jumping up from her desk" but became "irritated" as the lesson went on. One pupil, referred to as Pupil J, wanted to put a certain song on but the teacher didn't want him to. When he played it on her laptop the teacher "swore and yelled at him".
Another pupil, Pupil G, was walking around the classroom "annoying" people. Ashton told him to go out of the room but warned him "not to snitch".
‌
"She began to swear at him. She put her middle finger two to three inches from his face and continued to swear at him," Pupil H told the committee.
The teacher then turned her annoyance on the class, she claimed. "Alice Ashton swore at the whole class because we became rowdy."
Ashton was not present and not represented at the hearing and did not make any responses to the raft of allegations she faces, which means the allegations would usually be taken as denied. But she did email the EWC last summer saying she was no longer working as a teacher, was no longer in Wales, and had moved to England. You can read details of the start of the hearing here.
‌
Some of the responses Ashton had given to the school's inquiry were also detailed by EWC presenting officer Lewis Harrison. He said that Ashton had denied swearing or singing to the class when interviewed by the inquiry.
CCTV footage of the class was also shown to the committee in private. Describing what the footage showed Mr Harrison said it was totally at odds with Ashton's denials to the school's investigation.
He said Ashton had claimed she played music at the end of the lesson only and may have sung along to it quietly but "I would not have been singing to the class".
‌
Mr Harrison said this was "untenable" given the CCTV footage.
"It is totally untenable to suggest the music is being played as background music. The evidence is very clear that Miss Ashton did not remain at the front of the class. She invited pupils to dance," he told the hearing.
Mr Harrison also described in more detail how other pupils had described what happened during the class during the school's investigation.
‌
One child, Pupil A, said: "She (Ashton) was slipping with swear words, talking a lot less formally, and having been so irresponsible it felt like a mini rave with loud music, shouting, and dancing."
Pupil A added that Ashton was "acting crazy", her walking was wobbly, and she was "not acting like a teacher".
Another said: "She got us to dance the Macarena and she did not care about the lesson anymore... she got some students dancing to the laptop and speakers and it spiralled out of control."
‌
Another pupil described how Ashton had told Pupil G to "sit the f*** down".
At the start of the hearing the panel was told by the school investigator that the orange liquid Ashton had was tested for alcohol by the school. But she had not taken that into consideration because the school did not have an alcohol testing policy.
Mr Harrison said evidence from pupils was clear that the liquid Ashton was drinking during the lesson that day smelled of alcohol and that she was presenting as being under the influence and acting out of character.
‌
Alice Ashton faces the following allegations at the EWC hearing
That she:
1. On September 19, 2023, at Telford Magistrates' Court, was convicted of driving with an alcohol over the limit on August 19, 2023, and as a consequence was sentenced to a 12-month community order, 200 hours of unpaid work, and disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 28 months.
On September 19, 2023, at Telford Magistrates' Court, was convicted of driving with an alcohol over the limit on August 19, 2023, and as a consequence was sentenced to a 12-month community order, 200 hours of unpaid work, and disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 28 months. 2. On or around January 17, 2024, appeared under the influence and/or smelt of alcohol whilst at work.
On or around January 17, 2024, appeared under the influence and/or smelt of alcohol whilst at work. 3. On one or more dates in or around January 2024 acted in an inappropriate and/or unprofessional manner towards and/or in front of pupil(s), in that she:
On one or more dates in or around January 2024 acted in an inappropriate and/or unprofessional manner towards and/or in front of pupil(s), in that she: a) said 'f***' and/or 's***', or words to that effect; and/or
said 'f***' and/or 's***', or words to that effect; and/or b) told pupil(s) to 'suck it' and/or 'f*** off', or words to that effect; and/or
told pupil(s) to 'suck it' and/or 'f*** off', or words to that effect; and/or c) called pupil(s) 'divvys' and/or 'little s***s', and/or 'little bitch', or words to that effect; and/or
called pupil(s) 'divvys' and/or 'little s***s', and/or 'little bitch', or words to that effect; and/or d) did not allow Pupil G and/or Pupil J to leave the classroom; and/or
did not allow Pupil G and/or Pupil J to leave the classroom; and/or e) in response to Pupil G saying he would 'snitch', you said 'be my guest, while you go we will slag you off', and/or 'don't snitch', or words to that effect; and/or;
in response to Pupil G saying he would 'snitch', you said 'be my guest, while you go we will slag you off', and/or 'don't snitch', or words to that effect; and/or; f) put her middle finger up and/or made a 'V' sign with your fingers at Pupil G.
The panel must decide whether any or all the allegations are proved and, if so, whether individually or collectively they amount to unacceptable profession.
Article continues below
Ysgol Bro Caereinion, a bilingual, all age school, has more than 500 pupils aged four to 16. The school opened in September 2021 following the merger of Ysgol Gynradd Llanfair Caereinion and Ysgol Uwchradd Caereinion.
The hearing continues.