Mrs Rebecca-Frances Hansell

The Secretary of State does not make these decisions themselves. They are made by a senior official on the recommendation of an independent panel.

Teacher's name: Mrs Rebecca-Frances Hansell

Teacher reference number: 2055918

Teacher's date of birth: 28 February 1989

Location teacher worked: Northumberland, North East England

Date of professional conduct panel: 25 October 2023

Outcome type: prohibition order

Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with The Teacher's’ Disciplinary (England) Regulations 2012, a professional conduct panel was convened to consider the case of Mrs Rebecca-Frances Hansell, formerly employed in Northumberland, North East England.

Teacher misconduct

Ground Floor, South

Cheylesmore House

5 Quinton RoadCoventryCV1 2WT

Email TRA.Casework@education.gov.uk

Telephone 020 7593 5393

Information about regulating the teaching profession and the process for dealing with serious teacher misconduct.

Mrs Rebecca-Frances Hansell: Professional conduct panel meeting outcome Panel decision and reasons on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education October 2023 2 Contents Introduction 3 Allegations 4 Preliminary applications 4 Summary of evidence 4 Documents 4 Statement of agreed facts 5 Decision and reasons 5 Findings of fact 5 Panel’s recommendation to the Secretary of State 12 Decision and reasons on behalf of the Secretary of State 16 3 Professional conduct panel decision and recommendations, and decision on behalf of the Secretary of State Teacher: Mrs Rebecca-Frances Hansell Teacher ref number: 2055918 Teacher date of birth: 28 February 1989 TRA reference: 21188 Date of determination: 25 October 2023 Former employer: Seghill First School, Northumberland Introduction A professional conduct panel (“the panel”) of the Teaching Regulation Agency (“the TRA”) convened by virtual means to consider the case of Mrs Rebecca-Frances Hansell. The panel members were Mr Paul Hawkins (lay panellist – in the chair), Mrs Melissa West (teacher panellist) and Mrs Jane Gotschel (teacher panellist). The legal adviser to the panel was Mrs Luisa Gibbons of Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP solicitors. In advance of the meeting, after taking into consideration the public interest and the interests of justice, the TRA agreed to a request from Mrs Hansell that the allegations be considered without a hearing. Mrs Hansell provided a signed statement of agreed facts and admitted unacceptable professional conduct and/or conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute and conviction of a relevant offence. The panel considered the case at a meeting without the attendance of the presenting officer Ms Melinka Berridge of Kingsley Napley LLP, Mrs Hansell or her representative, Mr Richard Matkin of NASUWT. The meeting took place in private. 4 Allegations The panel considered the allegations set out in the notice of meeting dated 9 August 2023. It was alleged that Mrs Rebecca-Frances Hansell was guilty of having been convicted of a relevant offence, namely: 1. On 6 July 2022, she was convicted of driving a motor vehicle with excess alcohol on 23 March 2022 contrary to section 5(1)(a) of the Road Traffic Act 1988. It was also alleged that Mrs Hansell was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and/or conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute in that whilst working as a teacher at Seghill First School: 2. She informed her employer that she was not well enough to attend work, when that was not the case, on or around: a) 6 July 2022; and/or b) 7 July 2022. 3. She failed to notify her employer that she was arrested on 23 March 2022 on suspicion of drink driving. 4. She failed to notify her employer that she was convicted of the offence as set out at paragraph 1. 5. By reason of her conduct at paragraphs 2 and/or 3 and/or 4 above she: a) acted dishonestly, and/or b) demonstrated a lack of integrity. Mrs Hansell admitted both the facts of the allegations and that she was guilty of having been convicted of a relevant offence as well as unacceptable professional conduct and/or conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute. Preliminary applications There were no preliminary applications. Summary of evidence Documents In advance of the meeting, the panel received a bundle of documents which included: Section 1: Chronology and list of key people – pages 3 to 5 Section 2: Notice of referral, response and notice of meeting– pages 6 to 25 5 Section 3: Statement of agreed facts – pages 26 to 32 Section 4: Teaching Regulation Agency documents – pages 33 to 109 Section 5: Teacher documents – pages 110 to 115 The panel members confirmed that they had read all of the documents within the bundle, in advance of the meeting. The panel also received and read a letter from Mrs Hansell’s GP dated 23 February 2023. Statement of agreed facts The panel considered a statement of agreed facts which was signed on behalf of Mrs Hansell by her representative on 22 June 2023. Decision and reasons The panel announced its decision and reasons as follows: The panel carefully considered the case and reached a decision. In advance of the meeting, the TRA agreed to a request from Mrs Hansell for the allegations to be considered without a hearing. The panel had the ability to direct that the case be considered at a hearing if required in the interests of justice or in the public interest. The panel did not determine that such a direction was necessary or appropriate in this case. Having completed her PGCE in December 2021, Mrs Hansell was employed by Seghill First School (“the School”) from 1 January 2022 as a year 3 class teacher on a fixed term contract which ended on 31 August 2022 and was not renewed. On 23 March 2022, Mrs Hansell was arrested by the police on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. Findings of fact The findings of fact are as follows: The panel found the following particulars of the allegations against you proved, for these reasons: 1. On 6 July 2022, you were convicted of driving a motor vehicle with excess alcohol on 23 March 2022 contrary to section 5(1)(a) of the Road Traffic Act 1988. In the statement of agreed facts, Mrs Hansell admitted that she was sent home from School on 23 March 2022 due to her behaviour in slurring her words and acting out of 6 character. She admitted that she was arrested by the police that day on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. Mrs Hansell also admitted that she attended Newcastle Magistrates Court on 6 July 2022 and was convicted of driving a motor vehicle with excess alcohol on 23 March 2022 contrary to s 5(1)(a) of the Road Traffic Act 1988. The panel had seen the certificate of conviction confirming Mrs Hansell’s conviction for the above offence. The panel accepted the certificate of conviction as conclusive proof of both the conviction and the facts necessarily implied by the conviction. The certificate recorded that Mrs Hansell had driven after consuming so much alcohol that the proportion of it in her breath, namely 164 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, exceeded the prescribed limit of 35 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The certificate also recorded that Mrs Hansell changed her plea to guilty (having originally pleaded not guilty at her first hearing) and that this was taken into account in sentencing. Mrs Hansell received a sentence of imprisonment for a period of 12 weeks by reason of the nature of the offence, and the level of reading having passed the custodial threshold. The sentence was suspended for a period of 18 months and Mrs Hansell was subject to a supervision period of 18 months. Mrs Hansell was also ordered to undertake 200 hours of unpaid work. She was disqualified from driving for a period of 40 months that could be reduced by 40 weeks by completing a driving course. The panel found this allegation proven. 2. You informed your employer that you were not well enough to attend work, when that was not the case, on or around: a) 6 July 2022; and/or b) 7 July 2022. In the statement of agreed facts, Mrs Hansell admitted that she was absent from the School on sick leave on both 6 and 7 July 2022. She admitted that she had informed the School that she was unwell and could not attend the School for work. Mrs Hansell also admitted that on 6 July 2022, she had attended a hearing at Newcastle Magistrates’ in relation to the criminal conviction referred to in allegation 1. Individual A completed a teacher misconduct referral form. In that form, individual A stated that on 6 July 2022, [redacted] had received a text message from Mrs Hansell at 06:05 stating that she had “been up all night with diarrhoea, vomiting and a temperature which still hasn’t stopped”, so she would not be at work. Individual A stated that on 7 July 2022, [redacted] had received a text message from Mrs Hansell at 05:38 saying “Sadly I had another awful night and do not feel well enough to teach”. Individual A stated that [redacted] received another text from Mrs Hansell at 7 13:19 stating that she was “finally out of bed and feeling okay”. The panel had seen screenshots of these text messages. The panel found this allegation proven. 3. You failed to notify your employer that you were arrested on 23 March 2022 on suspicion of drink driving. In the statement of agreed facts, Mrs Hansell admitted that she had failed to inform her employer that she had been arrested on suspicion of drink driving on 23 March 2022. She admitted that she was aware that she had a duty to inform her employer of the arrest. Mrs Hansell also admitted that she had a return to work meeting with individual A on 28 March 2022 but did not inform individual A during that meeting of her arrest on 23 March 2022. In the teacher misconduct referral form, individual A stated that she had met with Mrs Hansell for a return to work meeting on 28 March 2022. [redacted] stated that the reasons Mrs Hansell had given for her behaviour in School on 23 March 2022 appeared genuine. [Redacted]. Individual A stated that no mention was made by Mrs Hansell of her arrest on 23 March 2022. The panel found this allegation proven. 4. You failed to notify your employer that you were convicted of the offence as set out at paragraph 1. In the statement of agreed facts, Mrs Hansell admitted that she did not inform her employer that she had been convicted of a criminal offence. Mrs Hansell admitted that on 8 July 2022, she had spoken with individual A and did not inform her that she had been convicted of a criminal offence on 6 July 2022. In the teacher misconduct referral form, individual A stated that on 8 July 2022, [redacted] spoke briefly to Mrs Hansell and checked how she was and that Mrs Hansell had ma