Teaching assistant, 25, who told fake sob story to go on holiday before being caught out on Facebook banned from class

A TEACHING assistant who told a fake sob story to go on holiday has been banned from class.

Ella Griffith, 25, was caught out by colleagues after her boyfriend posted glam photos of them on holidaying in Rome together on Facebook.

WNS

Ella Griffiths has been banned from teaching for a year after she told a fake sob story to go on holiday[/caption]

The primary school worker told staff she needed time off because she had a “serious personal matter at home” – but was later seen eating pasta, drinking cocktails and relaxing in a hot tub.

A misconduct panel heard she used the long weekend to fly to Italy with her boyfriend who later posted their holiday snaps online.

The Education Workforce Council heard Miss Griffith was employed as a learning support assistant working 30 hours weeks at Ysgol Cybi school in Holyhead, Anglesey.

Headteacher Rhian Grieve said Miss Griffith asked for some time off just days after schools returned in September last year following closures due to the pandemic.

Ms Grieve said: “She spoke with me on September 17, 2020, and asked to leave early the following day and return on September 23.

“The situation appeared critical in that Ella Griffith’s family needed her and she requested compassionate leave.”

The headteacher said she was alerted by other staff members that Miss Griffith’s boyfriend posted pictures of them posing in front of a Roman fountain.

Other pictures included the couple drinking in an ice bar, riding on e-scooters through the city and various sightseeing snaps.

She said when Miss Griffith was confronted about her absence upon returning she initially lied saying she had flown to Italy over the weekend.

Ms Grieve said Miss Griffith was asked to provide her airline tickets as proof but then later “confessed she’d lied at the length of time away.”

The panel heard she then failed to turn up to the school for the following two days – texting bosses to say she wouldn’t be in but not phoning.

Miss Griffith, who was not at the hearing and has since left the school, was found guilty of four misconduct allegations relating to her time away and the subsequent days after.

Although cleared of “knowingly” using the time off to travel to Italy the committee chair Sue Davies said: “Travel from the UK during the first year of the Covid pandemic meant international travel from the UK was not straightforward and required for example booking Covid tests to enable flying.

“It strikes the committee as inherently unlikely Miss Griffiths would have been completely unaware of the proposed travel plans with her partner.”

She added: “Miss Griffith knew or must have known during the course of her leave in Italy was the school was being misled to the principle reason for her absence.

“Her actions were clearly dishonest and furthermore she was not truthful with the school when first questioned about the incident and initially gave a series of misleading responses.”

She said by taking compassionate leave while going on holiday, Miss Griffiths acted in “a manipulative and dishonest manner”.

“It departed significantly from professional and ethical standards displaying a lack of integrity,” she added.

Miss Griffith was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and was given a 12-month suspension order from working in schools.

WNS

Miss Griffith’s boyfriend posted a picture of them drinking cocktails together in Rome[/caption]

WNS

The pair were also pictured soaking in a hot tub[/caption]

WNS

The teaching assistant had told her boss she needed time off for a personal matter[/caption]

WNS

She has now been banned from the classroom for 12 months[/caption]