Ex-teacher struck off over 'unacceptable conduct'

Dale Wills, 42, taught music at Marlborough College in Wiltshire

A former teacher at one of the country's top public schools has been banned from teaching indefinitely over "unacceptable professional conduct" involving three pupils.

A misconduct panel found Dale Wills, 42, "ingrained himself into the pupils’ lives" while teaching music at Marlborough College in Wiltshire.

The Teaching Regulation Authority (TRA) found Mr Wills engaged in inappropriate behaviour, made inappropriate comments and failed to maintain professional boundaries.

A spokesperson for Marlborough College said Mr Wills was suspended and an investigation launched as soon concerns were raised.

Mr Wills taught at the private boarding college, where boarding fees are £16,995 per term, between September 2019 and August 2021.

A witness told the panel there were more than "7,000 Microsoft Teams messages" between Mr Wills and two pupils, known as Pupil B and H.

According to the TRA report, in one of the messages Mr Wills implied he would stab a colleague who gave Pupil B negative feedback.

Mr Wills told the panel he "did accept doing something wrong" and "stated there was no suggestion that any real threat was intended or received, and he was just trying to support Pupil B by making a joke".

Mr Wills also completed assignments for Pupil B, indicated an A-level mark, and made inappropriate comments such as "love you" and "do I need to phone childline”.

He also bought vapes for pupil H and allowed another pupil, named Pupil G, to "place his head on his lap".

According to the report, Mr Wills’ representative told the panel the college had taken "a robust approach to teaching" during the Covid-19 lockdown, and "as a result, Mr Wills had to adapt to lockdown teaching techniques whilst being relatively new to the profession and an unqualified teacher (with prior experience of only teaching at Key Stage 5 level) and that this was an 'intense struggle'".

Mr Wills’ representative said this "contributed to the blurring of professional boundaries".

Mr Wills’ representative also said he felt "he lacked an appropriate level of support or guidance".

'Lack of insight'

The report said: "The panel was of the view that prohibition was both proportionate and appropriate. The panel decided that the public interest considerations outweighed the interests of Mr Wills. Mr Wills’ apparent lack of insight and remorse, and understanding of the safeguarding concerns that had been raised, were significant factors in forming that opinion.

"Accordingly, the panel made a recommendation to the Secretary of State that a prohibition order should be imposed with immediate effect."

A spokesperson for Marlborough College said: "The regulatory process led by the TRA has delivered a strong and definitive outcome.

"The panel found that Mr Wills’ conduct was professionally unacceptable and that it ‘clearly breached’ our staff code of conduct.

"As soon as the college was made aware of the concerns we suspended Mr Wills for gross misconduct and launched a thorough investigation which has led to this TRA hearing.

"We are committed to ensuring the wellbeing and welfare of all members of our school community and have been supporting those who have been affected by Mr Wills’ actions."