Ex-Ceredigion head took school's Christmas card cash

A former Ceredigion primary school head teacher has admitted taking cash from her school's Christmas card fund and leaving IOUs in its place.

Helen Hopkins took money collected at Ysgol Bro Sion Cwilt's eisteddfod, meant to pay for cards and books.

She admitted leaving IOU notes in the school cash box, but denied taking it for personal use.

Mrs Hopkins denies her actions amounted to unacceptable professional conduct at a Cardiff hearing.

Head teacher at the school since it opened in 2010, Mrs Hopkins also denied using teacher research funding to pay for her two children to visit Ireland in 2012.

School secretary Meriel Williams told the Education Workforce Council hearing she confronted Mrs Hopkins after she noticed £100 was missing from a Christmas card fund.

Mrs Hopkins claimed she had taken the money to buy a chair for the school but the hearing was told the chair never materialised and the money was not returned.

On another occasion, £250 was taken from the fund.

Mrs Hopkins said she had taken it home because she did not want it kept at the school during the summer break, before she provided a cheque to replace the money.

Mrs Hopkins denies acting dishonestly and the hearing was told she always paid back the IOUs.

The hearing continues.