Teacher banned over sexual contact with ex-pupils

Healing Academy, in Grimsby, is "committed" to the safety and wellbeing of students, its parent trust says

A teacher has been banned from the profession for life after a panel ruled on the "balance of probabilities" that he had sex with one former pupil and sent inappropriate messages to another.

Cheyne Phillips, 34, was a PE teacher at Healing Academy, a secondary school near Grimsby, at the time.

A professional conduct panel of the Teaching Regulation Agency was told he denied the allegations and "a large amount of the factual assertions surrounding them".

However, during a public hearing held between 6 and 9 May, the panel found Mr Phillips had exploited his position of trust by pursuing "highly inappropriate relationships and sexual misconduct with children".

Mr Phillips had "spoken to and repeatedly and persistently corresponded via e-mail, Instagram and Snapchat" with the former pupils "in ways that were sexual and inappropriate", the panel found.

In one of the cases, this "ultimately led" to "repeated and serious sexual misconduct".

Mr Phillips, who did not attend the hearing, worked at the academy from July 2016 to July 2022.

In a statement, the trust that runs the school said the allegations were "dealt with swiftly" and it had "complied fully" with an investigation.

The panel heard allegations that Mr Phillips had developed inappropriate relationships with two former pupils, known as A and B, after they left the school.

Both said his behaviour towards them had changed as they entered the final months of their time there.

'Ur a secret'

Pupil A said Mr Phillips had followed her on Instagram after she left and started messaging her.

The panel found that, on the balance of probabilities, he had made a number of comments of a sexual or inappropriate nature, sent at least one photograph of himself and requested images of her.

He had also attempted to meet her and, in one message, told her "ur a secret".

Pupil B said Mr Phillips had winked at her in revision sessions towards the end of her time at school, before emailing "something flirty" after she had left.

They then exchanged messages on Instagram and Snapchat and he asked to meet her.

The panel stated that it was satisfied from the evidence that he had received at least one explicit photograph from her and asked, "am I going to make the first move, or are you?"

It found, on the balance of probabilities, that Mr Phillips had kissed, had sex and engaged in other sexual activity with Pupil B.

'Breached trust'

The panel found Mr Phillips' actions breached professional standards and safeguarding guidance that classifies children as everyone under the age of 18.

He was "guilty of unacceptable professional conduct" that "may bring the profession into disrepute".

There were "repeated breaches of trust" owed to the former pupils and the panel "had no doubt" that his actions had "harmed" them and "were having a serious and continued effect".

The panel noted that Mr Phillips had stated that he did not feel he was in a position to properly respond to the allegations and did not intend to return to teaching.

Decision-maker Sarah Buxcey confirmed an indefinite ban on behalf of the education secretary.

In a statement, Harbour Learning Trust, which runs the academy, said it was "committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all of our students and expects all our staff to share this unwavering commitment".

"This incident was dealt with swiftly by the trust, under the previous CEO and head teacher, and the school and trust have complied fully with the investigation," the statement added.

"Harbour Learning Trust does not condone behaviour that compromises the well-being, trust, or safety of our students in any way."

Humberside Police said it had received a report concerning "inappropriate conduct and relationships of a teacher". Following a "full and thorough investigation", no further action was taken.

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