A teacher who returned from a pub drunk during a school trip to France and hit a pupil has been suspended from working in education in Wales for two years.
Shôn Rowcliffe worked as a cover teacher with the physical education department at Ysgol Bro Preseli in Crymych, Pembrokeshire, in 2024. In that role he organised the school’s participation in a football tournament in France as part of a twinning event between Crymych and Plomelin, a commune in Brittany.
Incident on May 11, 2024
On Saturday, May 11, 2024, Rowcliffe went to a local pub and came back drunk, an Education Workforce Council (EWC) hearing was told. Another member of staff, Martin Edwards, said Rowcliffe “was drunk, was angry, was swearing at me and the hosts, and being very loud and embarrassing in front of the people who had organised the trip”. Rowcliffe also raised his middle finger at Mr Edwards.
According to evidence heard at the fitness to practice hearing, Rowcliffe “hit or slapped Pupil A across the chest”. Oral evidence was given by the male pupil, who provided a detailed recollection of events. He said Rowcliffe was drinking alcohol throughout the entire trip and thought he was drunk a lot of the time.
Pupil evidence
On the evening of the incident, Pupil A said he saw Rowcliffe drinking alcohol and “acting drunk”. Another pupil said Rowcliffe was drinking throughout the trip and saw him drinking beer and acting “immature”.
On the day in question, Pupil A recalled that Rowcliffe was sitting on a plastic table about five metres away when he called the student over. The teacher told him: “You’re s***” and then hit him across the chest. The pupil told some friends and pulled up his top to reveal a red handprint on his chest. Another pupil confirmed he had witnessed the incident.
Mr Edwards was told what had happened and was shown the red mark by Pupil A. He subsequently raised concerns with school staff when the group returned from France on May 14, 2024.
Panel findings and suspension
At the conclusion of the hearing, a panel found allegations proven that Rowcliffe, while having responsibility for pupils on a school trip, was under the influence of alcohol to an inappropriate degree, hit or slapped Pupil A across the chest, swore or used obscene language on one or more occasions, and raised his middle finger. A further allegation that he asked a pupil to keep the incident a secret was not proven.
The panel found Rowcliffe’s conduct amounted to unacceptable professional conduct. It noted he engaged with the school and the EWC, attended the hearing, admitted two allegations (swearing and raising his middle finger at a colleague), and was “of previous good character”. The panel was also satisfied his behaviour during the trip was “an isolated incident”.
Despite those findings, Rowcliffe, who left his job at Ysgol Bro Preseli on June 20, 2024, was made the subject of a suspension order banning him from working in education in Wales for two years, effective immediately. He has a right of appeal to the High Court within 28 days.
