Ms Alison Atkins

Introduction

Ms Alison Atkins was a teacher at Copperfield Academy in Gravesend from September 2021. In June 2024 a professional conduct panel of the Teaching Regulation Agency found proved that on or around 12 May 2023 she consumed alcohol while on the school premises — a small bottle of wine drunk in her car during the school day, witnessed by colleagues and raised as a safeguarding concern — conduct amounting to unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute. She did not attend the hearing and was not represented, having indicated she was not putting forward any challenge to the allegations. On 18 June 2024, deciding on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education, Sarah Buxcey prohibited her from teaching indefinitely, with a two-year review period allowing an application to set the order aside from 22 June 2026 at the earliest.

Background Information

The panel convened on 10 to 11 June 2024 by way of a virtual hearing in public, proceeding in Ms Atkins’ absence after the presenting officer applied for it to do so. The panel was satisfied the notice of hearing had been properly served, that her absence was voluntary, that an adjournment was highly unlikely to secure her attendance, and that there was no medical evidence she was unfit to attend; it noted she had stated she was not putting forward any challenge to the allegations. The sole allegation was that on or around 12 May 2023 she consumed alcohol while on the school premises, and she made no admission of fact in the proceedings, so the panel determined the matter on the TRA’s evidence: two witnesses gave oral testimony, and her investigation interview was put before the panel. Matters concerning her private life were heard in private session.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation

Allegations and findings. The findings in this section are those of a Teaching Regulation Agency professional conduct panel, which reported proving them on the balance of probabilities. Ms Alison Atkins did not participate in the hearing and made no admission of fact, though she had admitted drinking on the premises in her school investigation interview. The single allegation was found proved; no count was left unproved.

On 12 May 2023 a colleague in the welfare office looked towards the car park at about 12:30pm and saw Ms Atkins in her car drinking from a long-necked brown bottle; she raised it with another colleague, and the two completed a safeguarding form because they viewed it as a concern for staff and pupils, with the drinking potentially in view of children in the lunchtime group. The head’s investigation found two bottles with alcohol labels behind the car seat. Questioned, Ms Atkins first denied the claims and produced a Pepsi can and a Tupperware box, then chose to be honest and brought back the small bottle of wine — 187ml — admitting she had drunk it. She was suspended on medical grounds for the rest of the day, the case was referred to the local authority designated officer the same day, and at an interview on 25 May 2023 she again admitted consuming alcohol on the school premises. The school referred the matter to the TRA on 21 July 2023.

In her interview Ms Atkins said it was lunchtime, she was feeling anxious, and she went to her car with a small bottle of wine. She described drinking more than one bottle a night at home, to the point that the next day she was affected in school, and said she had also been going off site at lunchtime to have an alcoholic drink, though not previously drinking in school. The witnesses were consistent that she did not present as intoxicated, that she was well-liked and pleasant, and that lunch in one’s car was a normal practice for some teachers — but the panel found the single allegation proved, on her consistent admissions and the evidence of what was seen and found. The panel noted Witness A’s evidence that when she returned to the car with Witness B, Ms Atkins had presumably gone back to teach after having consumed the alcohol.

Public Reaction and Consequences

The panel found breaches of the Teachers’ Standards on safeguarding pupils’ wellbeing, having regard to school policies, and acting within statutory frameworks, and found both unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute. It noted that as a potential consequence of her actions, pupils, parents and other staff members could have seen her drinking on the school premises. Both witnesses confirmed she was well-liked and competent, but the panel found no evidence of a significant contribution to the profession and no strong public interest in retaining her. Mitigation was thin: she had shown some insight and remorse and openly accepted responsibility, and described having sought support since her suspension, telling the panel her situation six months on was like night and day — but there was no documentary evidence or medical opinion backing that up, and her own written statement admitted drinking four miniature bottles of wine per day and further instances of leaving site during the school day to drink. Prohibition with immediate effect was recommended, with a two-year review period to give her the opportunity to demonstrate continued engagement with support services.

Current Status

On 18 June 2024 Sarah Buxcey decided on behalf of the Secretary of State that Ms Alison Atkins is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England. She placed considerable weight on the panel’s finding that Ms Atkins’ lack of mitigation evidence left an unresolved risk of repetition, since the panel had no documentary or oral evidence of her current ability to manage that risk, and on the strong public interest in upholding proper standards where a teacher consumed alcohol on school premises. She agreed the two-year review period was proportionate: Ms Atkins may apply for the order to be set aside, but not until 22 June 2026 at the earliest. This is not an automatic right; without a successful application she remains prohibited indefinitely. The order takes effect from the date it is served, with a right of appeal to the King’s Bench Division of the High Court within 28 days.

Impact on Their Career/Life

Ms Atkins told the panel she had taken early retirement from teaching to concentrate on addressing her drinking, and said she would like to return as a supply teacher at some time in the future — an ambition the prohibition forecloses, at minimum until any successful review application in June 2026. The incident that ended her career was a single lunchtime: the allegation related to one specific incident, with no evidence of previous instances of drinking on school premises, and she was the main breadwinner. The panel noted she had been open about the impact on her family and took full ownership of her actions.

Sources

• Teaching Regulation Agency, “Teacher misconduct panel outcome: Ms Alison Atkins” — source