Headteacher banned from classroom after affair with pupil's mum
A married headteacher who had an affair with a pupil's mum and allegedly made "sexist and misogynistic" comments about a pregnant colleague has been banned from the classroom.
Aled Rees, who resigned as headteacher of Ysgol Teilo Sant in Llandeilo in January 2021, apologised to his family and colleagues for his affair and behaviour during a professional conduct hearing.
He started an affair with a pupil's mother after she gave him 12 bottles of wine as an end-of-year thank-you gift, and the pair exchanged messages over the summer before a relationship developed in the autumn term of 2018.
In the Education Workforce Wales hearing, a panel also found that Mr Rees told a 25-year-old teacher who was pregnant "that will teach you to open your legs", or words to that effect, despite his denial.
Striking him off the teaching register for a minimum of two years, the EWC panel found all allegations against Mr Rees proven and that they amounted to unacceptable professional conduct.
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He was headteacher at Ysgol Teilo Sant (WALES NEWS SERVICE)The committee decided it was unlikely that year five teacher Elen Davies lied when she told the hearing that he made the derogatory comment to her during a meeting in his office, despite there being no witnesses and despite his denial.
Miss Davies said the comment, made five years ago, left her feeling vulnerable at the time but that she didn't report it because she thought it would be a young teacher's word against an experienced headteacher's.
Owain James, legal representative for the EWC, told the last day of the remote hearing on May 5 it was "highly unlikely Elen Davies would appear before this hearing and lie".
He said that it was "a shameful comment" and that "there is no role in a professional relationship for such language. It implies sexist and misogynistic feelings".
During the four-day hearing the committee was told the daughter of the woman with whom Mr Rees had an affair was in the same class as his son.
The woman was said to ring him at school so often that office staff recognised her number and they would spend long periods chatting at the school gate. Her husband revealed the affair to a teacher a few weeks after the Covid lockdown began in March 2020.
The headteacher also left the school site frequently without explanation or planning, and he told the panel he did it as an "escape" as he was struggling with problems in his personal life. He added he would regret what happened for the rest of his life.
Mr James told the panel that Mr Rees was absent from the school during the working day for around 30 hours over a five-month period as he "sought refuge and sanctuary in his car".
Mr Rees admitted the allegations against him apart from the derogatory comment to Elen Davies.
When striking him off the teaching register, the committee noted his regret and previous good career record.
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