A Hertfordshire teacher has been banned from the profession for at least two years after she admitted to drinking a “small Costa cup of wine” before taking charge of a class in the morning.
Lesley Beuscher, 61, was employed by Randstad Recruitment Agency and was teaching at Mount Pleasant Lane School in Bricket Wood when the incident occurred.
A teaching misconduct panel heard that on June 26, 2023, a colleague at the school told another member of staff – known as Witness A – that Mrs Beuscher “did not appear well enough to be teaching pupils”.
Witness A saw Mrs Beuscher being “unsteady on her feet” and noted “her speech was slurred”.
She said “it seemed like it was difficult for Mrs Beuscher to form a coherent sentence”.
After taking Mrs Beuscher aside, Witness A “could smell alcohol” on her and Mrs Beuscher “began to apologise and say that the children deserved better”.
Mrs Beuscher admitted that she had drunk “a small Costa cup of wine … across the road from the school” on the morning of the incident.
However, Mrs Beuscher “strongly denied” having had “excessive alcohol” and said the “small” amount she had drunk “would not have led to the behaviour that others observed”.
She said: “Having had alcohol issues in recent years, I am more than aware of the repercussions of drinking.
“I have never previously gone and would never go into any school drunk and … I do not believe that this was the case that morning.”
In deciding to ban her from teaching for at least two years, the panel said: “Mrs Beuscher made a conscious decision to consume alcohol before the start of the school day … in knowledge that she would be teaching young, impressionable children.
“By smelling and appearing to be under the influence of alcohol, Mrs Beuscher did not provide a safe environment for those pupils in her care.”
While the panel noted Mrs Beuscher was “remorseful” for her actions and had apologised to her colleague on the day of the incident, they also noted that she “did not show an in depth understanding in respect of the impact her actions could have had on pupils, parents and her colleagues”.
The panel said there was “considerable concern” that Mrs Beuscher had not “taken sufficient action to persuade the panel that she would not repeat this type of behaviour in the future”.
Mrs Beuscher was convicted in 2021 of being in charge of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. She was fined £69, ordered to pay costs and a surcharge, and had 10 points added to her driving record.
At the time of the conviction, Mrs Beuscher was not employed as a teacher. She later declared her conviction to Randstad when she returned to teaching as a supply teacher.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Spiral Partnership Trust said: "Spiral Partnership Trust acknowledges the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel hearing concerning Mrs Lesley Beuscher who was previously the supply (temporary) teacher at Mount Pleasant Lane Primary School in Brickett Wood, St Albans.
"We respect the independent process of the TRA and respect the decision of the panel. As this is an independent legal process it would be inappropriate to comment on the outcome.
"Mrs Beuscher was not a direct employee of the school and was under contract from Randstad Teaching Agency. Once the issue was identified swift and decisive action was taken by both the school and the agency.
"As the school was not the employer, we feel it inappropriate to comment any further on the conduct of Mrs Beuscher.
"Spiral Partnership Trust is proud of the achievements of Mount Pleasant Lane Primary School. The Board has total confidence in the current leadership of the school.
"Spiral Partnership Trust is committed to upholding the values and expectations of the teaching profession and ensuring the best possible outcomes for our students and community."
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