A teacher has been permanently removed from the profession after being found guilty of inappropriate conduct with students at Newlands Girls’ School in Maidenhead. Ian Shilling, who served as the head of music from September 2012 to October 2020, was discovered to have engaged in a “calculated pattern of behaviour” aimed at building inappropriate relationships with pupils.
The investigation conducted by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) revealed that Shilling made inappropriate comments to students, including describing one pupil as having the “hottest, sexiest body.” He has acknowledged using “emotive language” when addressing some girls, which the panel deemed highly unprofessional.
In addition to the comments, multiple pupils reported receiving explicit pictures from Shilling. He admitted to sending these images and stated that he recognized it was “completely wrong” at the time. Shilling also deleted the images from a chat and offered apologies to those affected. According to the panel, this behaviour was not merely a lapse in judgement but rather a deliberate pursuit of sexual gratification.
The TRA panel further noted that Shilling had given pupils gifts, including condoms, and sent a Valentine’s Day card with an inappropriate message to one student. This conduct was characterized by the panel as a clear abuse of his position as a teacher.
In a written statement submitted to the TRA in 2023, Shilling expressed his regret, stating that he was “deeply apologetic and upset for any hurt, anxiety or stress” he caused. However, the panel described his apology as “self-serving” and lacking in acknowledgment of the seriousness of his actions.
In response to the findings, a spokesperson for Newlands Girls’ School stated, “The safety of our students is our highest priority. As soon as safeguarding concerns were raised about a member of teaching staff, we acted immediately by suspending the individual and raising a report to the TRA.” The school expressed reassurance regarding the resolution of this case, emphasizing its commitment to maintaining rigorous safeguarding standards.
The decision to strike Shilling off the teaching register underscores the importance of safeguarding in educational environments and reinforces the obligation of schools to protect their students from inappropriate behaviour by staff.
