Leasowes High School teacher Paul Price left pupils unattended with saws and sanding machine to vape in a cupboard

An experienced design and technology teacher, who abandoned students operating hazardous workshop machinery to take a vape break in a store cupboard, has been permitted to continue his career in education.

Paul Price was discovered “crouching” in the cupboard, leaving his pupils unsupervised with tools including saws, mallets, and an electronic sander.

Described as looking “a bit sorry for himself”, Mr Price asserted that he was experiencing an impending panic attack and used the vape as a calming mechanism.

He initially offered a different explanation, claiming he was tidying the cupboard, but later confessed to his true actions.

Following his suspension, a misconduct hearing concluded that he could remain in the profession, deeming that striking him off would “not be proportionate”.

Mr Price commenced his role as a design and technology teacher at Leasowes High School in Halesowen, West Midlands, in April 2018.

The school had a no smoking policy that included vapes and e-cigarettes.

In January 2024 he left his classroom unattended while Year 9 pupils were doing practical work and left the tool cupboard, which contained saws, mallets and a sanding machine, unlocked and open.

The pupils were using hand tools and the sanding machine while he was absent.

While he did this he went to a nearby metalwork storeroom and was found by a colleague crouched down using a vape.

She said that he had a “guilty look and a bit sorry for himself”.

He said that he was getting a card out of the storeroom and then said he had been putting a card back.

Mr Price later admitted that he understood the risk to the pupils of him not being present as there “was a risk of material or fingers and hair becoming caught in the rotating disc”.

He said that he had felt a panic attack coming and did not know what to do.

Mr Price acknowledged that “tools such as saws could have been misused as weapons and that poor behaviour or accidental misuse could have caused harm”.

The incident was reported and concerns were raised about the safety of pupils in the classroom.

He was suspended while an investigation took place and was eventually sacked in July 2024, and the case was referred to the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA).

One person at the hearing said: “This was completely out of character and also not something Paul had ever done up to that point in his 12-year career.”

Mr Price said that he “deeply regretted” the incident and was “extremely remorseful”.

The panel found that his actions amounted to unacceptable professional conduct, but said that striking him off would not be necessary.

They concluded that the publication of the findings would be sufficient to make him not repeat his behaviour.

Bev Williams, chairing the TRA hearing, said: “The panel considered that parents would not expect their children to be left unsupervised in a classroom, particularly in a Design and Technology setting involving dangerous equipment.

“The panel found that, by leaving the classroom while responsible for pupils and using a vape on school premises, Mr Price prioritised his personal needs over his safeguarding responsibilities.

“Although no harm ultimately occurred, and there was a technician in the vicinity, the panel concluded that a risk of harm had been created, especially given the nature of the environment and equipment.

“The panel considered that the conduct was not comparable to a low-risk classroom setting.

“It concluded that the combination of leaving a class unsupervised in a workshop environment and breaching the School’s no-smoking policy was sufficiently serious to amount to unacceptable professional conduct.

“The panel considered that leaving a classroom unsupervised while in charge of pupils who were using machinery and tools and using a vape on School premises whilst Mr Price should have been in the classroom, risked undermining public confidence in the profession.”

Stuart Blomfield, making the decision on behalf of the Secretary of State, said: “The findings of misconduct are serious as they include a finding that Mr Price had left pupils unsupervised in a workshop environment with access to machinery and tools.

“I have concluded that a prohibition order is not proportionate or in the public interest.

“I consider that the publication of the findings made would be sufficient to send an appropriate message to the teacher as to the standards of behaviour that were not acceptable and that the publication would meet the public interest requirement of declaring proper standards of the profession.”