A PRIMARY school teacher who lied about her husband attempting suicide in a bid to get time off has been cleared to carry on working.

Angela Smith, a teacher at the Federation of Greenways Schools, formerly Thorpe Greenways Infant School, in Southchurch, Southend, told bosses her husband had numerous problems- including suggesting that medical staff were considering switching off his life support machine.

A National College for Teaching and Leadership panel heard that Mrs Smith was employed as a senior teacher at the school between January 2006 and May 2015.

In December 2014, she asked for her hours to be cut because her husband, who was a teacher at another school, was having mental health problems.

She told colleagues her husband had tried to commit suicide one afternoon when she was at work and had since been sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

Compassionate managers reduced her working hours from 8.30am to 4.30pm to 9.30am to 2.30pm, with an agreement that she could leave school during the day if needed.

She was later granted five days paid leave when she turned up at work with visible bruising to her face and wrist, which she stated had been caused by her husband.

In March 2015, Mrs Smith said her husband had returned to work, but he had been suspended after getting into a fight with another member of staff.

She later said he had attempted suicide again and doctors were planning to turn off his life support machine.

Due to the nature of these statements and the potential outcome, the school informed the school her husband worked at.

Contact was then made with the local authority to share the information.

It then became apparent that Mrs Smith’s husband was in good health and was working without any problems.

She resigned on May 31 and admitted all the allegations.

The panel found that although Mrs Smith was “dishonest” and guilty of “unacceptable professional conduct” further punishment was not necessary.

It said: “The panel was reassured to hear and see evidence that Mrs Smith has taken active steps to remedy some of the health issues that she was facing.

“These are continuing and seem to be improving her condition.”

The report then added Mrs Smith has since returned to a teaching role

It said: “She has taken important, positive steps to address personal issues and move forward successfully in her new role.”