AN ex teacher at a Wokingham school who was looking after a child when she was caught drink-driving before a crash has been told she will not be banned from teaching.

Laura Telford, who was a part-time maths teacher at The Holt girl's school in Wokingham, got into trouble after being caught over the legal limit for driving while under the influence of alcohol.

While drink-driving with a child passenger she crashed into another vehicle after a day out at Thorpe Park. These details have been revealed in a report from Teaching Regulation Agency where a panel looked into whether Miss Telford should be banned from the profession.

Following the crash, the teacher was breathalysed and was found to have 153 microgrammes (mcg) of alcohol in her breath, well over the 35mcg legal limit.

The report said Miss Telford claimed she had only drunk one pint of cider during the day, but had drunk vodka the night before. Later, she conceded that she bought a large bottle of vodka  on her way to Thorpe Park and poured some of it into a  bottle of water, but denied drunk.

However, after she was confronted with CCTV from the theme park, Miss Telford did acknowledge that she appeared intoxicated.

The crash took place on July 5, 2019. The passenger, described as being a child under her care, had their identity redacted.

At a hearing at Berkshire Magistrates Court, Miss Telford admitted to drink-driving. She was sentenced for the driving offence on February 4, 2020, with penalties including a Community Order that involves unpaid work requirements and a 33-month driving ban.

Miss Telford resigned from The Holt on March 23, 2020. She was then the subject of a professional conduct review in June 2024 by the Teaching Regulation Agency.

Ultimately, it was decided that Miss Telford will not be served a prohibition order, meaning that she can remain in the teaching profession.

Receiving representations from her, the panel judged: “Miss Telford expressed regret and remorse for her poor judgment in her statement and, in the view of the panel, demonstrated insight into her failings, for which she had sought help professionally and from family and friends.”

The panel concluded: “Given that the nature and severity of the behaviour were at the less serious end of the possible spectrum and, having considered the mitigating factors that were present, the panel determined that a recommendation for a prohibition order would not be appropriate in this case.

“The panel considered that the publication of the adverse findings it had made was sufficient to send an appropriate message to the teacher as to the standards of behaviour that are not acceptable, and the publication would meet the public interest requirement of declaring proper standards of the profession.”

The decision was made by Marc Cavey, a chief executive of the Teaching Regulation Authority in a letter dated June 26.

The panel hearing was conducted by Richard Young, a lay panellist, Carolyn
Roberts and Shelley Barlow Ward, both teacher panellists.