Teacher banned after assaulting pupil

The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) said the assault took place off the school premises

A teacher has been banned from the profession after he assaulted a pupil.

Stuart Maxwell, who taught at The Ripley Academy in Ripley, Derbyshire, "took the law into his own hands" when he attacked a child, a misconduct hearing was told.

The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) heard Mr Maxwell, 55, was convicted of assault following an incident off the school premises, at Sawley, in January 2022.

The TRA said on Wednesday that Mr Maxwell had been given an indefinite prohibition order, which would be reviewed after three years.

'Heat of the moment'

A report said Mr Maxwell's conduct "fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession".

It said: "Whilst the panel recognised that the offence had taken place outside of the school setting, outside of school hours and had not involved pupils or other members of the academy's staff, the panel noted that the offence did involve a child of school age at a school where Mr Maxwell had taught.

"Although Mr Maxwell acted in the heat of the moment, he essentially took the law into his own hands and responded inappropriately to a situation where, on his account, he was being provoked by a child."

Mr Maxwell "had a duty to act as a role model", the TRA added.

Mr Maxwell told the TRA he was "extremely remorseful"

Mr Maxwell was fined £120 and ordered to pay £100 compensation when he appeared before magistrates in June 2023 and was convicted of the assault.

In statement to the panel, he said he "wholeheartedly" regretted going to try to resolve a situation he had with the pupil.

He told the panel he had taken his "eye off the ball and briefly put my responsibilities as a teacher to one side".

Mr Maxwell said: "I am extremely remorseful and will live with the consequences of my actions for the rest of my life, as will my family."