Alcohol at staff parties

It’s up to you to decide whether staff can drink alcohol at social events such as Christmas parties. Take a look at some of the things to consider, and see how other schools approach this issue.

Last reviewed on 2 December 2022
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 4235
Contents
  1. The choice is yours – there's no official guidance on this
  2. If the event’s during the school day, don’t have alcohol
  3. Can we use the school budget?
  4. What do other schools do?

The choice is yours – there's no official guidance on this

The DfE doesn't have specific rules on this. That means that whether staff can pop a cork or 2 is at the discretion of the headteacher and the governing board. 

Check with your local authority (LA) first if you're a maintained school because it may have its own rules. 

Be sensitive to your staff’s needs

If you expect staff to pay for the alcohol themselves, it's important that you make sure that nobody feels obligated to contribute. Remember that the cost-of-living crisis will be putting strain on many people's household incomes, especially

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