Teacher tried to go to school under the influence

Mark Baird collapsed and was treated by paramedics

A teacher has been banned from the profession indefinitely after attempting to attend a school under the influence of alcohol and failing to disclose he had been dismissed from the job when applying for another post.

Mark Baird, 36, who subsequently went on to teach at Bilton School, in Rugby, admitted to a misconduct investigation that he had collapsed while walking to work at a previous school in January 2022.

Paramedics found him to be under the influence of alcohol.

After an investigation he was dismissed in February 2022, but then concealed the reason for leaving when starting a job at another school seven months later, a panel said.

The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) said the second school was only made aware of the dismissal when one of its investigators contacted it in November of the same year.

The investigator had been looking into Mr Baird's previous attempts to attend school while drunk, although he never reached the classroom.

He was subsequently dismissed from the second school in December 2022.

In written representations to the tribunal, Mr Baird said he had made a stupid mistake that meant that everything he had ever worked for was "now in the bin".

He added that he could not "go through a panel. I’d prefer that I’m just prohibited. I’ve paid the price. I’ve lost my career. I can’t punish myself anymore".

The panel noted that as recently as March 2024, Mr Baird asked that it be made clear that he did not intend to teach again and had no involvement with young people.