A Bradford head teacher, sacked when she was spotted flying to Tenerife after calling in sick, has been found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct by the General Teaching Council.
Lesley Tidy, 53, was suspended then dismissed from her post at Thackley Primary School after she missed a training day on Friday, February 17, 2006, to fly out of the country.
Staff were "up in arms" after the teacher claimed she said she was ill, but was seen by a colleague at the airport, a conduct committee of the GTC sitting in Birmingham heard yesterday.
Chairman Judy Moorhouse said: "Miss Tidy, in her role as leader of the school community, should have led by example at all times."
The committee heard how the teacher left work at about midday on February 16, telling colleagues she had been sick.
She then visited a furniture shop in Leeds, before calling her deputy head that evening to say she was ill and would not attend the training day.
On the Friday - the day before the half-term holiday - she was seen at the airport by a lunchtime supervisor from the school.
Tina Denham, the school's bursar, said Miss Tidy rang her about the chance encounter.
Mrs Denham said: "She rang saying, I'm at the airport having a really nice time (and) bumped into a lunchtime supervisor.' While in Tenerife, Miss Tidy - who did not attend yesterday's hearing - sent Mrs Denham a text boasting "Sun, sea and surf - what more could a girl want?", the committee heard.
On her return to school, she said she had flown to Tenerife, where she had a timeshare, to visit her "surrogate mother" who was ill.
Miss Tidy said in a statement she had "acted in the agony of the moment in relation to the very serious news concerning my surrogate mother, that she had that day been diagnosed with cerebral aneurysm, a potentially fatal condition."
The committee decided there was evidence to suggest the flight booking was confirmed on the Thursday evening, but found "inconsistencies" in Miss Tidy's account of events.
The panel also upheld an allegation that Miss Tidy, who said she had an "exemplary record" as a teacher of more than 30 years experience, told the bursar not to provide the chairman of the governors with copies of her sick notes from her GP.
Miss Tidy was given a conditional registration order by the committee, which requires her to successfully complete a "recognised and relevant leadership course" before being employed as a head teacher again.
