Teacher's crystal meth use was a 'weekend problem'

Drug user Nicholas Smith resigned from Southwark Primary in Basford, Nottingham, in 2022

A "talented" former assistant head teacher has admitted using crystal meth during his time at the school.

Nicholas Smith, who worked at Southwark Primary School in Basford, Nottingham, used methamphetamine between 2020 and 2022 in a social group setting at weekends.

Mr Smith, who resigned from the school in October 2022, told the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) he has since moved to London and stopped taking the drug.

A TRA panel found him guilty of "unacceptable professional conduct" but ruled a classroom ban was not "proportionate" or "in the public interest".

Crystal methamphetamine is a strong and highly addictive manmade drug that affects the central nervous system. There is no legal use for it.

Mr Smith had started at Southwark Primary in 2016 as a teacher before being promoted to assistant head in 2019.

But a year later he began using the drug "at weekends only, in a social group setting" the hearing was told.

'Extremely talented'

He took a period of sick leave in 2021, after informing the school, and an action plan was put in place allowing him to return to work.

There was no suggestion his drug use impacted his "appearance of professional behaviour", the TRA hearing was told.

Colleagues praised Mr Smith as "extremely talented" and "a great role model for a lot of other teachers".

He was again off work following a relapse in January 2022, and resigned in October of that year.

Since 2023, Mr Smith has been working as a teacher at a primary in Tower Hamlets.

His current school is aware of his previous use of "hard drugs", the panel was told.