A primary school teacher downed a bottle of wine and turned up to work drunk and reeking of alcohol. Ashley Atkin, 38, had glazed eyes and was unsteady on her feet as she prepared for an awards ceremony at Horn’s Mill Primary in Helsby, Cheshire.
The incident occurred on the morning October 20 2023, when Atkin was due to hand out a “Big Cheese” award to a high-achieving pupil in her Y1 class. Another staff member found Atkin sitting at her desk in the dark, and said she “seemed so fragile and her eyes were watery and puffy”, and she “seemed drunk”.
In evidence presented to the Teaching Regulation Agency, the staff member said she could smell alcohol on Atkin’s breath, and that the other woman appeared to be “trying to hide that she was drunk”.
Concerns were raised about Atkin during the morning assembly, and another staff member, known as witness B, approached her in the staff room. Atkin denied she had been drinking, but admitted she had been drinking heavily the night before.
In a later disciplinary investigation interview on November 17 2023, she stated that she drank a bottle of white wine and another small glass of wine the night of October 19.
Witness B reported the situation to another staff member, Witness A, who invited both Witness B and Atkin into her office to discuss the situation. Both Witnesses A and B said they could smell alcohol on Atkin.
Witness A stated there was “not a shadow of doubt that it was alcohol”, while Witness B described the stench as “pungent”, “strong” and “distinctive to drinking”. Witness A stated that once the meeting was over, the room had to be aired out to get rid of the powerful smell.
Atkin denied being present at the school after consuming alcohol, but a TRA report, published in February 2025, found this was untrue. It further found the Y1 teacher’s drinking had affected her behaviour and ability to carry out her work duties, as she had failed to prepare a “morning challenge” or plan the day for her class. She also failed to welcome children into the classroom and carry out the snack register.
Witness C stated in written evidence that “when [Ms Atkin] stood to take to children in [to the assembly] she seemed to have trouble with her dress round her feet and was unsteady. She moved slowly and gingerly.”
After leading the children into the assembly, Atkin then walked off, leaving another staff member to sit the class down. The staff member said Atkin “looked dazed and was staggering”.
She was supposed to announce who the “Big Cheese” of her class was and hand out an award, but she did not know who the award winner was. After asking another teacher who the “Big Cheese” was, she handed her the certificate and said “you do it”.
Witnesses B and D described Atkin’s eyes as being “glazed”, and Witness B also stated that Atkin was slow to answer questions and was unstable on her feet.
Concerns were raised that Atkin was not able to look after the children in her class, as one staff member said: “I felt [children in Ms Atkin’s class] weren’t safe with her. I felt reluctant to leave the children with her…” due to “…her slow reaction and slow communication with us as staff and a lack of awareness, that meant that the children potentially were not safe.”
Following Atkin’s meeting with Witnesses A and B, it was determined that Atkin should be driven home as she was not in a position to continue working in the school. A disciplinary investigation and launched, and Atkin resigned on 8 December 2023.
The TRA professional conduct panel has now ruled that she will not allowed to return to the classroom, as it banned her from teaching in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.
It found her guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and bringing the profession into disrepute. The report read: “The panel was satisfied that the conduct of Ms Atkin fell significantly short of the standard of behaviour expected of a teacher in that she presented at work after consuming alcohol and smelling of alcohol and for safeguarding reasons could not be left in charge of her class for the day.”
It added: “The panel were satisfied that Ms Atkin’s actions were deliberate. There was no evidence to suggest that Ms Atkin was acting under extreme duress… Ms Atkin was a teacher for 4 years, but there was no evidence of an exceptional contribution to teaching.”
Atkin had also denied being convicted of drink driving at Cheshire Magistrates Court in July 2023. However, court records obtained by the TRA proved this too was a lie, and the panel also found her guilty of receiving a conviction of a relevant offence.
It concluded: “The lack of insight and genuine remorse shown by Ms Atkin meant that the panel could not be satisfied that there would not be repeated behaviours associated with alcohol in a school environment.
It added: “The panel were satisfied that Ms Atkin’s actions were deliberate. There was no evidence to suggest that Ms Atkin was acting under extreme duress… Ms Atkin was a teacher for 4 years, but there was no evidence of an exceptional contribution to teaching.”
Atkin had also denied being convicted of drink driving at Cheshire Magistrates Court in July 2023. However, court records obtained by the TRA proved this too was a lie, and the panel also found her guilty of receiving a conviction of a relevant offence.
It concluded: “The lack of insight and genuine remorse shown by Ms Atkin meant that the panel could not be satisfied that there would not be repeated behaviours associated with alcohol in a school environment.