A FORMER teacher who worked in schools across Herefordshire has been banned from the profession for life after he had sex with a pupil.

Peter Gittins faced a professional conduct panel hearing on May 21 where he admitted he was involved in a string of incidents with two pupils.

A Teaching Regulation Agency report said these incidents with Pupil A were sexual in nature and sexually motivated – with the hearing resulting in an indefinite ban for Gittins. 

It said between 2004 and 2010, Gittins, 74, failed to maintain professional boundaries and engaged in an inappropriate relationship with Pupil A.

It said Gittins, who had a career spanning more than 40 years, kissed, touched and had sexual intercourse with the pupil, and also bought or sent them a sex toy.

He also contacted them by phone, as well as hugging, meeting them after school and driving them in his car.

Also between 2004 and 2010, Gittins failed to maintain professional boundaries and/or engaged in an inappropriate relationship with Pupil B in that on one or more occasions he contacted Pupil B by phone, and hugged them.

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Gittins worked on freelance terms as a peripatetic music teacher across Herefordshire schools and colleges, including at Hereford Sixth Form College where he was head of brass between September 2012 and December 2014, and again from August 2016 until his resignation in June 2019.

"In this role he taught one-to-one lessons to students who played brass instruments and were studying A-Level music or were enrolled on the college's instrumental scholarship programme," the report said.

"During the time of the alleged conduct, Mr Gittins worked as a peripatetic tutor at a number of primary and secondary schools within the local music service area."

In 2018, Pupil A made certain disclosures relating to Gittins dating back to 2004, but this did not relate to any period when he was working at the college.

It added: "Pupil A subsequently provided a written statement to the police, and was interviewed by the police on June 9, 2019.

"The police investigated the matter but ultimately took no further action."

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In the panel’s experience, it considered Gittins’ behaviour would not have been regarded as appropriate and that it fell "far short" of the standards expected of the profession at the time, particularly the failure to maintain proper professional boundaries with Pupils A and B, and the failure to safeguard pupils’ wellbeing.

"Although the conduct complained of, took place outside of a school setting where the interactions might be less formal, the panel nonetheless took the view that Mr Gittins was in a teaching role and therefore subject to the relevant standards and expectations for the profession," the report said,

The panel considered that Gittins was in a position of trust and had a duty of care towards Pupils A and B.

In a decision on behalf of the Secretary of State, Alan Meyrick said he was satisfied a prohibition order was proportionate and in the public interest in order to achieve the intended aims of a prohibition order.

"This means that Mr Peter Gittins is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England," he said in the report.

"Furthermore, in view of the seriousness of the allegations found proved against him, I have decided that Mr Peter Gittins shall not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach."

A spokesperson for Hereford Sixth Form College said: "I am proud that the diligence we show in our safeguarding procedures has ensured a safe environment for our students.

"The offences committed by Peter Gittins, a music peripatetic who worked with us briefly, happened beyond our college environment, before his time with us.

"The welfare of our students and those in our community is paramount for all of us at our high performing caring sixth form college."