A teacher has been indefinitely prohibited from teaching after he was discovered to be under the influence of alcohol on two consecutive days at a Leicestershire college, with his bizarre behaviour prompting pupils to ask staff if he was drunk.
Christopher Small, 35, was dismissed from Charnwood College in Loughborough after just eight days in the role. A professional conduct panel heard he turned up drunk on two days in September 2023, with his employment terminated on the second day.
A Pattern of Intoxication
The incidents began on September 5, 2023, during a pastoral staff meeting. Colleagues became suspicious when they saw Mr Small drinking a clear liquid from a Lucozade bottle, which typically contains a red or orange drink. A witness reported smelling what she believed was alcohol on his breath and was certain the liquid in the bottle was vodka.
The following day, on September 6, the situation escalated when Mr Small arrived at the school intoxicated again, but this time with pupils present. Witnesses described his behaviour as alarming; he was "unintelligible and unsteady" on his feet, waving his arms wildly, dancing, and holding himself up against walls. His conduct was so concerning that pupils directly approached other staff members to ask, "is he drunk?".
A History of Alcohol Issues and Dishonesty
The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel discovered that Mr Small had been dishonest to secure his position at the college. During his job interview, when questioned about criminal convictions, he claimed a past drink-driving incident "did not lead to conviction". In reality, he had been convicted at Leicester Magistrates' Court on March 7, 2019, and was fined £200.
Evidence presented to the panel also revealed a prior incident involving alcohol. In July 2023, while employed at Nicholas Chamberlaine School in Bedworth, Mr Small was on a residential school trip to Norfolk. On the first night, he was seen slurring his words and struggling to use cutlery, before locking himself in his room and leaving eight pupils unattended. Colleagues had to collect him after midnight, with text messages from the scene detailing a struggle to get him into a car.
Just 17 days after his dismissal from Charnwood College, on September 23, 2023, Mr Small was convicted of drink-driving for a second time. He was breathalysed with a reading of 70 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath—double the legal limit—and was disqualified from driving for 36 months.
Professional Consequences and Prohibition
The TRA panel found Mr Small guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the teaching profession into disrepute. It was noted that he did not attend the hearing and had shown "a significant lack of insight" into the seriousness of his actions.
As a result, Christopher Small has been prohibited from teaching indefinitely in England. He cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, or children's home. The order states that he may apply to have the prohibition order set aside, but not before November 2029, four years from the date of the ruling.
