Norfolk head teacher banned for failing two children

Mr Bowles had let down two children who had "shown repeated and serious signs of neglect" said a report

The head of a school has been banned from teaching indefinitely for failing to protect two vulnerable children.

Alexander Bowles, former head at Great Hockham Primary near Thetford, Norfolk, was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct.

The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel said Mr Bowles had let down two children who had "shown repeated and serious signs of neglect".

The trust running the school said it took immediate action over concerns.

The panel's report said the TRA investigated concerns over Mr Bowles' actions between July 2016 and July 2018.

'Serious nature'

It said: "Mr Bowles demonstrated inaction in relation to the safeguarding of two vulnerable children who had shown repeated and serious signs of neglect.

"His failure to act in relation to these two vulnerable children prevented them from receiving protection and support from external agencies for a period that could have been up to two years."

The panel said it was "satisfied that the conduct of Mr Bowles amounted to misconduct of a serious nature".

In mitigation, the panel heard Mr Bowles had a "previously good record" and was highly thought of over a long period of time as a teacher.

Mr Bowles was told he could apply for the teaching ban to be lifted after five years.

A spokesman for Sapientia Education Trust, which runs the primary school, said: "During the first year that Great Hockham Primary School belonged to our Trust, our routine and regular monitoring identified serious concerns about practices in the school.

"We took immediate and robust action to remedy these, involved the appropriate external agencies and conducted a detailed investigation that resulted in the dismissal of Mr Bowles and the subsequent TRA action."