A maths teacher has been left without a career after a misconduct panel ruled he took cocaine at his school's Christmas party. Rowan Barnicoat, 29, who taught at Pool Academy in Cornwall, was found to have snorted the Class A drug during a staff event in December 2023.
The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel heard that Mr Barnicoat had brought two bags of white powder from a suitcase and prepared them on a table using a credit card. He allegedly used a £5 note to inhale the substance, and repeatedly mentioned cocaine throughout the evening. A colleague claimed he said: "I am never skint. I always have cash from dealing."
Pool Academy condemned Mr Barnicoat's actions as "unacceptable" and stated that they did not reflect the school's values. The academy emphasised the welfare of its students is its top priority, and confirmed it acted promptly when made aware of the matter.
Mrs Barnicoat joined Pool Academy in September 2022 but resigned in February 2024 while an internal investigation was ongoing. He did not attend the subsequent TRA hearing. The panel concluded that it was more likely than not that the white powder was cocaine, ruling that Mr Barnicoat had possession and consumption of the illegal drug.
The TRA panel found Mr Barnicoat's actions to be unacceptable professional conduct, and that they brought the teaching profession into disrepute. They highlighted that taking drugs in a school setting is a serious breach of professional standards.