No ban for ‘hello gorgeous’ teacher

A TEACHER who addressed pupils by such terms as “princess”, “little cherub” and “hello gorgeous” has escaped a professional ban.

Raymond Beardmore also inadvertently rubbed a pupil’s neck by sitting too close.

A professional conduct panel, staged by the Teaching Regulation Agency, has ruled Beardmore failed to observe appropriate boundaries and treat students with dignity.

It found the IT teacher, who resigned his position at Stourport High School in Januay 2019 after only four months in the role, was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct.

But it allowed Beardmore, who admitted he had used over-familiar terminology, to continue to teach. The publication of the panel’s findings was sufficient punishment, the panel decided.

It decided that he had realised his mistakes and that the words used were a misguided attempt to break the ice with a new, and at times challenging, class.

In his report, decision maker Alan Meyrick said: “In the light of the panel’s findings against Mr Beardmore, which involved inappropriate terminology, inadvertent touching of a pupil’s shoulder and rubbing of a pupil’s neck, the panel considered that public confidence in the profession could be seriously weakened if conduct such as that found against Mr Beardmore were not treated with the utmost seriousness when regulating the conduct of the profession.”

Beardmore admitted calling one pupil “princess” on several occasions and saying “hello gorgeous”.

“(He) explained in his evidence that, in an effort to gain their trust and given the start of the year and changes to his class, he would refer to pupils using such language as opposed to their names,” said Mr Meyrick.

He touched a girl’s shoulder, the panel found. “There were a number of consistent statements that Mr Beardmore would lean in close to the computer when explaining a task and would touch a pupil’s shoulder,” said Mr Meyrick. “Having heard Mr Beardmore’s explanation as to placing his hand on the top of the pupil’s chair, the panel considered that Mr Beardmore was then in a position whereby he would inadvertently touch the pupil’s shoulder.”

He admitted calling another pupil “little cherub”. Mr Beardmore said it was a phrase he used in class as a term of praise.

The teacher, however, was cleared of claims he put his arm around two pupils or massaged one’s neck. But the report stated: “He had repeatedly called pupils inappropriate names and failed to recognise his behaviour in standing or sitting too close to pupils.”