A teacher who drank alcohol at a school in Cumbria and hid vodka in a book trolley will not be banned from the classroom.

Janice Scully, who taught at Derwent Vale Nursery and Primary School in Great Clifton, near Workington, was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct which could bring the teaching profession into disrepute.

A teachers' disciplinary panel heard that she drank at school, was unsteady on her feet, talked with a slurred voice, hid bottles of vodka and wine in her handbag and vodka in a school book trolley.

But the panel, which heard the case in Coventry, drew back from recommending she be banned from the country’s classrooms.

Instead, following its recommendations, Alan Meyrick, deputy director of the National College of Teaching and Leadership, said he considered the finding of unacceptable professional conduct was punishment enough. He took the decision on behalf of Education Secretary, Justine Greening.

Mrs Scully had worked at the school between 1998 and 2015.

It was claimed that “on numerous occasions in 2014 and 2015 she attended school intoxicated, and consumed alcohol at school.”

The panel’s findings say that in September 2014 a colleague found a partially drunk bottle of wine in Mrs Scully’s handbag and saw her behaving uncharacteristically.

On one occasion, in November 2014, she turned up at school smelling of alcohol, although she was not due to be working that day, and in March 2015 she turned up under the influence of drink with slurred speech, was unsteady on her feet and had a bottle of vodka in her handbag.

Despite warnings she turned up at school under the influence of drink in June and in November 2015 an open bottle of vodka was found in a book trolley by the head teacher.

Mrs Scully admitted she had been drinking on the premises and was suspended. She later left her job there.

The findings say: “The panel is satisfied that the conduct of Mrs Scully fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession.” However, they say that she has displayed “substantial insight into her alcohol misuse and the unacceptable nature of her conduct.”

The panel added that Mrs Scully has expressed remorse and was “determined to address her issues”.

In the circumstances they did not consider a ban would be a “proportionate and appropriate” response.

Mr Meyrick said: “The panel has taken into account the particular circumstances of this case and the medical evidence that supports that. The panel has also taken into account other relevant mitigation including the degree of insight and remorse shown.”