Primary school head struck off after sex with colleague in broom cupboard

Kevin Pratt's actions with lower-ranking colleagues portion moving arsenic a headteacher and adjunct caput were described arsenic 'calculated and motivated' astatine a nonrecreational behaviour meeting

A erstwhile superior schoolhouse headteacher has been banned from teaching implicit superior intersexual misconduct with 3 abstracted colleagues, including having enactment with a subordinate of unit successful a cupboard and masturbating connected schoolhouse premises.

Kevin Pratt was headteacher astatine Axminster Community Primary Academy and adjunct headteacher astatine Cranbrook Education Campus, erstwhile the incidents took place. At a caller nonrecreational behaviour sheet gathering carried retired by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA), the 37-year-old's actions with lower-ranking colleagues were described arsenic "calculated and motivated".

Mr Pratt, who antecedently lived successful Bath, was headteacher of Axminster Community Primary Academy - portion of the Acorn Multi Academy Trust - from September 1, 2020. He antecedently worked astatine Cranbrook Education Campus, adjacent Exeter, arsenic adjunct headteacher from September 1, 2017.

A workfellow astatine Axminster Community Primary Academy - named arsenic Person A - is said to person informed the spot connected May 25, 2021, that she had antecedently had a intersexual narration with Mr Pratt wherever helium had abused his presumption of authority. She claimed a akin narration had taken spot betwixt Mr Pratt and different workfellow - named arsenic Person B - who worked astatine Cranbrook Education Centre.

Devon Live reported that Person A reported she had been instructed by Mr Pratt to support their narration “secret”. The sending of explicit messages was said by the TRA to beryllium a cardinal diagnostic successful relationships with Person A and Person B.

Mr Pratt was besides recovered to person sent explicit messages to a 3rd colleague, named arsenic Person D, astatine Axminster Community Primary Academy. Mr Pratt accepted helium pursued a idiosyncratic narration with her and sent her messages saying helium wanted to person enactment with her successful an office.

He besides accepted entering the bureau and stating that helium was going to basal by the doorway and ticker her “play with herself". Mr Pratt besides admitted to engaging successful intersexual enactment connected schoolhouse premises and during schoolhouse hours with Person B, which included successful an bureau and wrong a schoolhouse cupboard.

Also portion connected schoolhouse premises, helium admitted to performing a intersexual enactment upon himself portion connected a video telephone with Person B connected March 29, 2021. The sheet noted that during the interior disciplinary probe concerning his idiosyncratic and intersexual relationships with Person A and Person D, Mr Pratt denied having specified relationships connected May 26, 2021.

Mr Pratt, who had not antecedently been taxable to immoderate disciplinary proceedings, aboriginal provided a signed connection of agreed facts and admitted unacceptable nonrecreational behaviour and/ oregon behaviour that whitethorn bring the assemblage into disrepute portion astatine some schools. He answered 7 allegations and made afloat admissions to them.

The proceeding sheet recovered that the offence of intersexual activity, superior dishonesty, controlling and coercive behaviour was relevant. The determination announcement stated: "The sheet noted that the grounds showed that Mr Pratt’s actions were deliberate. There was nary grounds to suggest that Mr Pratt was acting nether duress, and, successful fact, the sheet recovered Mr Pratt actions to beryllium calculated and motivated."

The sheet recovered that Mr Pratt was liable for "seriously inappropriate behaviour" which had a "demonstrable impact" connected colleagues helium enactment managed. It was added the wide quality of the behaviour showed a disregard of safeguarding principles and nonrecreational standards.

It added: "The sheet formed the presumption that Mr Pratt had shown small penetration into his actions, though it did admit that helium had signed an agreed connection of facts arsenic indicative of immoderate grade of acceptance of his conduct."

The allegations proven successful full:

1. On 1 oregon much occasions betwixt September 2020 and April 2021, helium asked Person A, a subordinate colleague, not to archer anybody astir your relationship.
2. In oregon astir October 2020, helium made inappropriate comments to a workfellow Person D, successful that you: a. Sent a substance connection to Person D suggesting that helium wanted to person intersexual intercourse successful her office, b. Asked Person D to execute a enactment enactment successful her bureau portion you watched.
   
3. Between June 2020 and April 2021, helium engaged successful an inappropriate narration with Person B, a subordinate colleague, successful that he: a. Engaged successful intersexual enactment connected schoolhouse premises and/ oregon during schoolhouse hours
4. On oregon astir 29 March 2021, helium performed a intersexual enactment upon himself portion connected a video telephone with Person B connected schoolhouse premises.
5. He failed to disclose to the schoolhouse promptly oregon astatine each details of his narration with Person A, Person D and Person B.
6. His behaviour arsenic whitethorn beryllium recovered proved astatine paragraph 5 was dishonest.

The sheet agreed for Mr Pratt to beryllium the taxable of a 'indefinite' prohibition order, with nary proviso for a reappraisal period. The determination announcement stated: "The sheet did not consciousness that it could find that determination was a beardown nationalist involvement information successful retaining Mr Pratt successful the profession.

"Whilst nary uncertainty had been formed upon his abilities arsenic an educator, the quality of the behaviour and the information that it chiefly took spot wrong the learning situation undermined immoderate proposition that helium could marque a peculiarly invaluable publication to the profession. The sheet finds that the behaviour of Mr Pratt fell importantly abbreviated of the standards expected of the profession.

"The findings of misconduct are peculiarly superior arsenic they see a uncovering of intersexual misconduct relating to 3 abstracted members of staff." It added: "The sheet felt that arsenic helium was successful a enactment position, Mr Pratt was straight and professionally liable for the ethos, civilization and standards of behaviour wrong the school. It truthful determined that his misconduct amounted to a important failing erstwhile considered against the request to uphold due standards wrong the profession.”