Music Teacher Escapes Classroom Ban After Being 'Absolutely Plastered' During Drum Lesson
A music teacher who admitted to smelling strongly of alcohol while instructing young pupils has successfully avoided a classroom prohibition. Nicholas Smalley, a drum teacher employed at Wimbledon Park Primary School in southwest London, was dismissed in December 2023 after a witness reported he appeared 'absolutely plastered' during a lesson.
Incident Details and Witness Testimony
During a professional conduct hearing conducted by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA), a witness provided a detailed statement describing the alarming scene. She recounted entering the classroom to find Mr Smalley teaching a drum lesson with a pupil, immediately noticing a 'very strong smell of alcohol'. The witness stated she confronted the teacher, telling him the room smelled of alcohol and it appeared he had been drinking.
According to her testimony, Mr Smalley looked 'shocked' and when directly asked if he had been drinking, he replied 'yes' and offered an apology. The witness further described observing a can of Red Bull and a large 500ml bottle of tonic water on the piano, which contained clear liquid and was approximately half full. When questioned about the bottle's contents, Mr Smalley insisted it was water, sometimes with cordial.
Panel Findings and Decision
The TRA panel, while accepting the witness's evidence that Mr Smalley was under the influence of alcohol during the lesson, concluded there was insufficient proof that he had actually consumed alcohol on school premises or while teaching students. Notably, after Mr Smalley left the room, no alcohol could be found to substantiate the drinking allegation.
In his defense, Mr Smalley stated: 'I did arrive smelling of alcohol, however, I did not take it into the school. The plastic tonic bottle was filled with water (sometimes cordial), if it had been alcohol I wouldn't have openly left it on the table.' He added that several students would vouch he always brought water to lessons in the same yellow tonic bottle.
The panel acknowledged that Mr Smalley's actions could damage public perception of teachers, emphasizing that educators should not be on school premises or teaching pupils while smelling strongly of alcohol. However, they also considered mitigating factors, including personal pressures affecting his judgment at the time and his 27-year teaching history without previous issues.
Professional Consequences and Public Interest
TRA chief executive Marc Carvey determined that a prohibition order would not be proportionate or in the public interest. He stated: 'I consider that the publication of the findings made would be sufficient to send an appropriate message to the teacher as to the standards of behaviour that were not acceptable and that the publication would meet the public interest requirement of declaring proper standards of the profession.'
The panel ultimately concluded that losing Mr Smalley's specialist teaching provision would be a 'loss to schools', noting witnesses described him as 'really friendly and very nice'. While his behavior was deemed unacceptable, the absence of concrete evidence regarding on-site alcohol consumption led to the decision against a classroom ban, allowing the case to serve as a warning rather than ending his career.
