Deputy head teacher in sex offender 'friendship' banned

A deputy head who did not tell a school she had a personal relationship with a convicted sex offender has been banned from teaching indefinitely.

Cecilia Rooms, 57, who worked at Overton School, Shropshire, admitted allowing him to use and/or access her work laptop, the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) said.

A panel found proven facts amounted to unacceptable professional conduct.

The special needs school near Ludlow said staff "took immediate action".

Ms Rooms worked there as deputy head and designated safeguarding lead between September 2018 and July 2019, when she was suspended and tendered her resignation.

The TRA said, in its panel's view, her actions in maintaining a relationship with a registered sex offender, "and inviting him into her home, including at a time when a child may be present, would call into question her commitment to safeguarding... in the eyes of the public".

She admitted three allegations "and that the facts of these allegations as admitted amount to unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute".

Ms Rooms had continued in her relationship with him for four years, following his conviction and being designated as a registered sex offender, the panel heard.

The panel considered she "therefore had ample opportunity to disclose her relationship" to family and the school.

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The agency's professional conduct panel noted when a third party told the school of the relationship, "it acted swiftly to contact Ms Rooms and the relevant agencies".

She referred to her relationship with the individual as a "personal friendship", but the panel considered the term relationship "covers friendships", the agency said.

The panel noted she explained the person's use of the laptop was "never unsupervised", but in its view "allowing any individual unconnected to the school to use a device which could allow access to personal data regarding children would demonstrate a lack of judgement".

'Some remorse'

The former deputy head said she has ceased contact with the person and the panel received statements supporting Ms Rooms' good character.

She offered her "sincere apologies" and the panel considered she had "shown some remorse", but it "did not consider that she had shown any real insight into who she may have harmed and to what extent".

The panel said it appeared no direct harm had been caused to any child in "circumstances where the consequences could have been a lot more serious and where the risks were high".

A spokesperson from the new owners of the school, who were not in charge at the time, said: "As detailed in the report, staff followed the appropriate processes, took immediate action, informed the relevant authorities, and dismissed Ms Rooms.

"The new owners wish to highlight that the market recognised process of Safer Recruitment in Education is followed."