Head who changed term dates to go on cruise banned

A former headteacher who changed school term dates so that she could go on a cruise has been banned from teaching.

Former Ryde Academy headteacher Joy Ballard, engaged in unacceptable professional conduct bringing the profession into disrepute, a Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel has found.

She also used a school-funded car for regular personal trips, including a family holiday to France, the hearing heard.

Ballard, who appeared on Channel 4 documentary Educating Cardiff, has been prohibited from teaching in schools, sixth-form colleges, youth accommodation and children's homes in England, but may apply for a review of the ban after two years.

Ballard was found to have changed school term dates in the 2023-24 academic year to accommodate for a personal cruise holiday, something which the panel labelled as "dishonest".

In 2022, she used school funds to purchase a Peugeot 5008, which was needed "to reduce the taxi costs associated with transporting children to alternative provision on the Isle of Wight" the panel heard.

Ballard admitted to regularly using the vehicle for commuting to work and for a personal trip to France in 2024.

Among the findings was evidence that she had failed to follow proper procedures for handling and banking school cash and used school funds to buy camping equipment, a karaoke machine and televisions that were later found to have limited benefit to the school.

"If parents and the community became aware of a headteacher using their position in this way, they would find this really concerning," the panel said.

The Secretary of State's decision to ban Ballard stated: "The findings of misconduct are serious as they include a headteacher behaving in a way which was dishonest and lacking in integrity."

During her oral evidence Ballard admitted that, apart from using the school car for personal reasons, she would not do anything differently.

She stated: "I am not a rule follower, I like going against the grain to benefit the kids."

The panel also heard extensive evidence about Mrs Ballard's achievements as a teacher with witnesses and character references describing her as an "inspirational leader".

Ballard appeared in Channel 4's series Educating Cardiff, when she was the headteacher at Willows High School in Cardiff, transforming it into one of Wales' most improved schools.

In 2015 she joined Ryde Academy on the Isle of Wight and the panel accepted that she had made an important contribution to education over a long career and that there was no criticism of her ability as a classroom teacher or educational leader.

The TRA concluded her career achievements were outweighed by findings that she had acted dishonestly and without integrity in her use of school resources, school term dates and financial procedures, resulting in a teaching ban with a two-year review period.

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