A teacher who previously worked at Ursuline College in Westgate-on-Sea has been banned from teaching after engaging in a sexual relationship with a student. Tom Field, a teacher of nearly twenty years, admitted to having sexual intercourse with a schoolgirl the day following her final exam.
During a hearing by the Teacher Regulation Agency, it was revealed that the 46-year-old teacher dropped off some students at various locations but purposely kept the schoolgirl until last to express his desire to have sex with her. The student reported feeling uncomfortable but did not explicitly refuse.
Subsequently, Mr. Field took the teenager to his residence where they engaged in sexual activity. The student later expressed unease about the encounter, stating she did not explicitly decline but felt it was inappropriate.
Following this incident, Mr. Field arranged to meet the student again, picked her up near her home, and took her to his house under false pretenses. He later admitted to engaging in further sexual activities with her.
Upon learning of the situation, a staff member confronted Mr. Field, who then resigned from his position. The Teacher Regulation Agency panel determined that his actions were sexually motivated and constituted a breach of trust. They highlighted his failure to maintain professional boundaries and duty of care towards the students.
In addition to the inappropriate relationship with the student, Mr. Field was found to have taken pupils to a pub without proper authorization or safety precautions. This, along with his subsequent actions, demonstrated a serious lack of judgment and disregard for his responsibilities as an educator.
Despite expressing remorse for his behavior, Mr. Field’s attempt to shift blame onto the student indicated a lack of understanding of the gravity of his actions. Ursuline College promptly suspended Mr. Field and cooperated fully with the investigation.
The school’s Headteacher, Danielle Lancefield, emphasized their commitment to safeguarding pupils and maintaining high standards of professional conduct. She reiterated that the school had acted swiftly upon learning of the incident and had since ensured compliance with all safeguarding protocols and recruitment regulations.