Mrs V Baker v The Governing Body of St Charles RC School

The EAT dismissed Mrs Baker’s appeal. It upheld the ET’s dismissal of her unfair and wrongful dismissal claims, finding the ET’s reasons were sufficient and its analyses distinct.

This is an Employment Appeal Tribunal decision in the case of Mrs V Baker and The Governing Body of St Charles RC School. The judgment was given on 9 October 2026 after a hearing on 22 September 2026.

Mrs Baker was the headteacher. She had been summarily dismissed for gross misconduct following a disciplinary process that found several allegations proved, including smelling of alcohol at work, leaving pupils unsupervised, unprofessional conduct and a breach of confidentiality during suspension. The Employment Tribunal at Manchester dismissed her claims of unfair and wrongful dismissal. Its judgment was sent to the parties on 10 March 2023.