Oxford teacher banned after watching child's private act

Nicholas Lowson was the head of design and technology at the school from 2014 until he resigned in 2019

A teacher who admitted trying to watch a child doing a private act has been banned from the profession.

Nicholas Lowson, 50, a former head of design and technology at the Cherwell School in Oxford, was given a two-year community order in 2019.

The Teaching Regulation Agency said he had not shown enough "insight" into his offence - which did not involve a pupil - to be allowed to teach again.

A panel said the indefinite ban was "proportionate and appropriate".

Lowson admitted a charge of attempting to observe a person doing a private act at Gloucestershire Magistrates' Court on 17 October 2019.

He had started in his role at Cherwell School in September 2014. He was suspended in January 2019 after police told the school he was under investigation following the allegation, which dated back to 2006.

Lowson, of Willow Drive, Carterton, later resigned from his position.

He told the panel that he had "completed [his] punishment a year ago" and that he was looking to "move on".

But the agency said that showed insufficient remorse to be able to let him teach again.

It said it received good character references dating back to 2014 but that no recent references could speak of his teaching or good character following his conviction.

A spokesperson for the Cherwell School and the River Learning Trust, which runs the school, said: "The Cherwell School and River Learning Trust have sought and followed guidance from the relevant agencies at every stage."