Teacher banned after taking female pupil to pub

A teacher who drove a 16-year-old female pupil to a pub and bought her alcohol has been banned from teaching following a professional conduct hearing.

Christopher Ingram, who had worked at West Park School in Derby since September 2023, stopped working at the school on 31 December 2024 following an internal investigation.

According to a Teaching Regulation Agency report, Ingram drove a student from a previous school he had worked at alone to a pub in July 2024.

The report said on 25 October 2024 Ingram accepted a conditional police caution in relation to the allegation he purchased alcohol for a pupil who was under the age of 18.

The professional conduct panel meeting outcome report stated the body agreed to a request from Ingram, who was a design and technology teacher, for the allegations to be considered without a hearing.

It added Ingram provided a signed statement of agreed facts and admitted that his conduct amounted to "unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute".

According to the report, the panel considered the case at a private meeting without the attendance of the presenting officer, Ingram or his representative on 24 March.

It stated the panel found that Ingram's actions in taking a former pupil to a pub and buying her alcoholic drinks displayed a "profound ignorance" of appropriate safeguarding standards and "breached professional boundaries".

However, it said mitigating factors included that he otherwise had a "good record", made full admissions and expressed "some remorse" for his actions.

"The panel considered that a member of the public would be extremely troubled to learn that any teacher had behaved in this manner with a pupil," the report added.

"The panel therefore found that Mr Ingram's actions constituted conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute.

"In summary, having found the facts of all allegations proved, the panel further found that Mr Ingram's conduct amounted to both unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute," the report added.

The panel prohibited Ingram from teaching indefinitely, which means he cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children's home in England.

He may apply for the prohibition order to be set aside, but not until 3 April 2028, two years from the date of this order at the earliest, it said.

West Park School has been contacted for comment.

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