Ex-Blackhall Primary School headteacher Joanna Clark visited health spa for swim during school day

Joanna Clark was spotted swimming during working hours at the Spa at Ramside, at Ramside Hall Hotel and Golf Club, near Durham City, while employed at Blackhall Primary School.

A misconduct investigation has now concluded that Mrs Clark used the spa “on at least two other occasions” during the school day.

The Teacher Regulation Agency (TRA) panel heard “there was a gradual deterioration in Mrs Clark’s availability during her working hours” from January 2019 to November 2020.

From September to October 2020 she admitted working from home each Friday “and now accepted that this was not the right course of action”.

During this period she was spotted at the spa on Friday, October 16.

The newly-published TRA disciplinary report said: “She said that she swam for 20 minutes and that she deeply regretted the decision.”

Mrs Clark began sick leave on November 10, 2020, after anonymous whistleblowing allegations were made against her to Durham County Council.

She was later suspended and eventually resigned on August 31, 2021, before the disciplinary process was concluded.

The TRA launched its own misconduct investigation and has now found 11 out of 22 allegations completely proven against her.

Three relate to her attendance, whereabouts and spa visits.

The redacted report acknowledges “the difficult personal circumstances which Mrs Clark was facing” at the time and that she was “appalled I worked from home as much as I did”.

The panel also noted that “Mrs Clark had made a valuable contribution to the profession in the past and could do so again”.

During her time as head from 2009, the school’s Ofsted rating rose from “satisfactory” to “good”.

Mrs Clark also provided a “substantial number of character references” outlining her “good character and teaching abilities”.

While the panel found her guilty of unacceptable professional conduct, decision maker David Oatley said a ban would “clearly deprive the public of her contribution to the profession”.

He concluded: “I have agreed with the panel that there are extensive mitigating factors present in this case and that there is a strong public interest in retaining Mrs Clark in the profession.

"For these reasons, I have concluded that a prohibition order is not proportionate or in the public interest.”

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