A TEACHER who brought two bottles of vodka into a South Gloucestershire school and drank some on her way back from the shop after lying that she was going out to buy chocolate for staff has been allowed to remain in the profession.

Jodie Bennett, who was head of communications and English at Kings Oak Academy in Kingswood, was sacked following an internal investigation in 2021.

A Teaching Regulation Agency tribunal panel has now found her guilty of unacceptable professional conduct which may bring the profession into disrepute.

But it decided that the publication of the adverse findings was a sufficient sanction and that there was no need to ban Miss Bennett from teaching because the breaches were at the lower end of the spectrum of seriousness and she had glowing character references.

Miss Bennett accepted unacceptable professional conduct at the five-day hearing split between February 2023 and October this year.

The panel’s report, published on Friday, November 1, said she told colleagues on September 7, 2020, she was leaving the school premises to buy chocolate for the department.

She was not teaching that afternoon but when she returned, staff said she appeared intoxicated.

Miss Bennett denied she was drunk but admitted she had taken two sips of vodka on her way back to the Cabot Learning Federation academy.

When challenged, the teacher initially denied to staff that she had drank or possessed any alcohol but soon opened her handbag to reveal the two vodka bottles, one of which was open and was down to just below the neck of the bottle, the panel heard.

A colleague told the hearing that Miss Bennett appeared drunk because she “struggled to manage her emotions, talk in a clear manner and her mannerisms appeared as if she was under the influence of alcohol”.

Others said she was “louder and more affectionate than usual”.

A colleague called a taxi and escorted her into it but the teacher admitted she asked the driver to return to the school and she then drove home in her car, although she denied being over the limit, a claim the panel accepted.

The following day, a member of staff saw Miss Bennett had brought a bottle of vodka in her bag onto school premises which was two thirds full.

The teacher told the panel that she had drank alcohol late into the previous evening and was hungover and sleep deprived.

The TRA’s report said: “The panel considered the written witness evidence of Witness A, who stated that Miss Bennett did not appear totally steady on her feet while walking, had left her car boot open, was overexcited, was not giving coherent answers and kept repeating that she was okay when Witness A asked her if she was under the influence of alcohol that morning.

“In notes taken as part of the Academy’s investigation, the other witness stated that she arrived into the car park at the same time as Miss Bennett, who ‘seemed as if she had been drinking again’ as she was ‘loud and affectionate’ and had walked away from her car leaving the boot wide open.”

The panel found the allegation proved that she was under the influence of alcohol while on school premises.

Miss Bennett accepted that she falsely told bosses in December 2020 that she had stopped drinking.

She admitted her behaviour was honest and/or lacked integrity.

The panel’s decision said: “Although Miss Bennett was not teaching on the afternoon of September 7, 2020, she was at work and on the school premises.

“Miss Bennett had acted contrary to the school’s instruction by driving home having consumed an alcoholic drink, and her behaviour was found to be dishonest and lacking integrity.

“She repeated some of her behaviours again on September 8, 2020, bringing alcohol onto the school premises.

“The panel found that Miss Bennett’s behaviour was at the less serious end of the spectrum.

“Her behaviour was for an isolated period of time and Miss Bennett did not maintain her denials for long.

“The panel acknowledged that her actions were impacted by her extenuating personal circumstances [REDACTED].

“Miss Bennett did have a previously good history, having contributed significantly to the education sector.

“Miss Bennett has been teaching for over 20 years, and had been a PGCE subject mentor and a Professional Tutor for PGCE trainees”

It said one of the five character references said her “enthusiasm for her job is infectious” while another said she was an “outstanding” teacher.

The report said: “The panel considered Miss Bennett to have shown a strong commitment to teaching.

“The panel considered Miss Bennett had demonstrated a level of insight and remorse for her behaviour.

“Miss Bennett had outlined that she ‘did not recognise’ the person she was at the time.”

The school has been asked for a comment.