A Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel has concluded that a former maths teacher at Pool Academy took cocaine during a staff Christmas party and has imposed a prohibition order, preventing him from working as a teacher in England.
Panel heard colleagues' accounts of drug use at school event
The teacher, identified in the hearing as Rowan Barnicoat, began teaching at the academy in September 2022 and resigned in February 2024 before the school's internal investigation was concluded. The TRA hearing lasted three days and, according to the panel's determination, found that Mr Barnicoat both possessed and consumed cocaine on the night of a school-organised event on 7 December 2023.
The panel's findings were based largely on witness statements from colleagues who reported seeing Mr Barnicoat taking a white powder. One witness described Mr Barnicoat saying,
"I've got something stronger."
That witness went on to tell the panel he saw Mr Barnicoat rummaging through a suitcase, remove two small bags containing a powdery substance, place them on a table, break the contents up with a credit card and snort the powder using a rolled-up 5 note. The witness said Mr Barnicoat identified the substance as cocaine. A second written statement from another colleague supported that account.
Seriousness and impact on the profession
The TRA panel described the misconduct as serious and said the behaviour ‘‘would be likely to have a negative impact on the individual's status as a teacher'' and could cause reputational harm to the profession. The panel noted the conduct occurred outside the classroom but concluded it was nonetheless outside the standards expected of teachers and that public confidence could be undermined if such conduct were not addressed firmly.
Alongside the finding that he used and possessed drugs, the panel also upheld a separate allegation concerning a drugs-related statement made by Mr Barnicoat on or around the date of the party.
Practical implications for the school and parents
Pool Academy, which had employed the teacher for a relatively short period, reported the matter to the TRA after Mr Barnicoat resigned. The prohibition order means he cannot teach in any state-maintained school in England while the sanction stands. For parents and guardians, the case may prompt questions about staff conduct policies and the measures schools take to safeguard pupils and maintain professional standards.
- Teacher: Rowan Barnicoat
- School: Pool Academy
- Incident date: 7 December 2023
- Resignation: February 2024
- Sanctioning body: Teaching Regulation Agency
Local school leaders typically emphasise that allegations of staff misconduct are taken seriously and investigated. Where investigations identify conduct that falls below professional standards, referral to the TRA is the recognised route to ensure safeguarding of pupils and maintenance of trust in the profession.
This decision will be recorded on the national database of teacher sanctions, which is used by schools and governing bodies during recruitment checks. Parents wishing to discuss the matter should contact Pool Academy directly for details on any local responses or steps the school has taken since the incident.
