A former science teacher at King Alfred School in Highbridge has been banned from teaching after a professional conduct panel found he allegedly crossed over professional boundaries with a pupil and failed to follow safeguarding procedures.
The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel has published a public report online after considering allegations against Bradley Harris, who formerly worked at Highbridge’s King Alfred School. A hearing was held earlier this year and the panel’s decision has just been published this month.
A number of allegations were considered by the TSA regarding Mr Harris’ alleged conduct between November 2022 and April 2023. Mr Harris resigned from his science teaching post at the Highbridge school in July 2023, and in September of that year a referral was made to the TRA.
The panel’s report states that Mr Harris exchanged social media messages and took part in at least one Instagram phone call with a pupil, and also met the pupil outside of school. Furthermore, he contacted the pupil while suspended despite instructions not to do so, and failed to make a timely safeguarding referral.
Additional allegations were also found proven by the panel, including that Mr Harris bought the pupil a bottle of water during a school trip, asked other pupils to leave his classroom so he could be alone with Student 1, and failed to prevent the pupil from sitting at his desk or in his chair during lessons. The TSA says it did not find proven allegations that Mr Harris exchanged phone numbers with the pupil, allowed the pupil into his car, kissed the pupil, or that any of the conduct was sexual in nature.
It was concluded by the TSA that “communicating with a student on social media, the failure to follow basic safeguarding procedures, the one-to-one interaction with a student and the deliberate decision to contact Student 1 whilst suspended” amounted to misconduct “of a serious nature which fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession.”
The organisation ruled that Mr Harris was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute. Furthermore, the panel recommended a prohibition order and said there was “a strong public interest consideration in respect of the safeguarding and wellbeing of pupils” and warned that public confidence in the profession could be weakened if conduct of this kind was not treated seriously.
Accepting the recommendation, the Secretary of State’s decision maker imposed a prohibition order – and the order means Mr Harris is prohibited from teaching indefinitely in schools, sixth form colleges, children’s homes and other education settings in England. He will be able to apply for a review of the order from July 2028, although any removal is not automatic and would require approval from the panel.
King Alfred School is run by Priority Learning Trust and a spokesperson says: “The trust notes the outcome of the recent Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) professional conduct panel hearing regarding Bradley Harris, a former employee at The King Alfred’s School.”
“As soon as concerns were initially raised regarding this individual, the school took immediate action in line with the Trust’s robust Safeguarding and HR procedures. The individual has not worked at the school since July 2023.”
“The safety, wellbeing, and education of our pupils remain our absolute priority. We worked closely with the appropriate external authorities throughout the investigation and continue to maintain the highest standards of safeguarding across all our schools.”
