A private school teacher in north London has been sacked after confessing to using crystal meth as a means of relaxation, a tribunal has heard.
Charles Miles, 64, a primary teacher at Dwight School in Barnet, north London, contacted the police over "water bulging" at his Hackney residence.
When officers visited his home in November 2024, social workers noted it was "clear" that the English and learning support teacher was a user of crystal meth, according to evidence presented to a Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel.
Drug use on weekends
The report revealed Mr Miles was affected by ongoing class A drug use and indulged in crystal meth "on weekends", though it stressed there was no suggestion of any harm to children.
Mr Miles attended a meeting with the school in January 2025, the tribunal heard. Notes from this meeting, reviewed by the panel, recorded the teacher saying: "They're concerned about that crystal meth use but as I am trying to explain - I am not addicted to it."
The 64-year-old, who had been teaching at the school for nearly four decades, maintained he used crystal meth to "relax", adding that his usage was "pretty controlled". Mr Miles confessed to having taken the drug while working as a teacher, recognising that this amounted to "unacceptable professional conduct".
Serious misconduct finding
The panel concluded that he had committed serious misconduct.
The report states: "In the light of the panel's findings against Mr Miles, which involved unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute, there was a strong public interest consideration in respect of the safeguarding and wellbeing of pupils; the maintenance of public confidence in the profession; and declaring and upholding proper standards of conduct, given the serious findings of use of a class A drug."
Despite Mr Miles having stepped down at the end of the academic year in summer 2025, a written judgement published on Thursday confirmed that the TRA panel had decided he should face a permanent prohibition from teaching.
Limited remorse noted
The hearing found that Mr Miles had shown "limited insight and/or remorse" about his substance abuse, having established that "Mr Miles' view had been that his drug use was a private matter, separate from his professional engagement as a teacher".
He is eligible to apply for a review of the ban in five years' time.
