Deputy head at top private school quits over his affair with former pupil aged 19
A DEPUTY head at a leading private girls’ schools has been forced to resign because of an affair with a former pupil.
Phil Culling, 41, has become romantically involved with 19- year- old Helena Skelly, an aspiring singer who left Godolphin and Latymer school last summer.
Parents at the £17,000-a-year West London school received an email several days ago from headmistress Ruth Mercer, informing them Mr Culling had ‘resigned his position as deputy head with immediate effect’.
Mrs Mercer confronted her deputy about the relationship after one of the teenager’s parents allegedly called the school upon discovering that the pair had moved in together.
In the letter, the headmistress added: ‘We both recognised that his position had become untenable and the right thing for him to do was to leave.
‘From my point of view and that of the governors, his actions have demonstrated an unfortunate lack of judgment and a failure to uphold the responsible behaviour that we all rightly expect from our staff particularly those in leadership positions.’
Within minutes of his forced resignation, Mr Culling’s picture had been removed from the school website, and two acting deputy heads were installed in his place.
It is understood that the school decided against calling the police because staff had accepted that the romantic side of the relationship only began once Miss Skelly had left. However, sources at the school said that it was an ‘open secret that the pair were close’. one said: ‘We all knew something was up when she was still at the school. Apparently the headmistress called the girl in to ask if anything was going on but she denied it.’
As well as being the deputy head, Mr Culling was head of music and spent many hours helping Miss Skelly with her goal of a career in the industry. In videos posted on YouTube, Miss Skelly is seen singing a variety of well-known pop songs while Mr Culling accompanies her on the piano.
In the caption to one video, Miss Skelly says she ‘wrote this song about loving someone who you shouldn’t and just wanting things to be simpler’.
In another, she sings: ‘I thought I had been in love, but that was until I met you.’
A source claimed that one of Miss Skelly’s parents called the school when they learned that their daughter was living with Mr Culling in the home of one of her elder sisters.
Mr Culling’s estranged wife is thought to work at the school in the development department.
‘We all knew something was up’
They have three children under the age of 13.
He is understood to have left their £600,000 four-bed home in Isleworth, West London, a month ago, according to neighbours.
one said: ‘Philip hasn’t been around for about four weeks. I used to see him taking the kids out but not any more. And his wife has been looking very upset lately. It’s a real scandal.’
The music teacher acted as a mentor to Miss Skelly, a gifted singer, and also sat on the school’s child protection panel. Miss Skelly currently performs on the pub circuit and regularly sings at an established folk music venue in West London called the Troubadour, where Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell have all appeared in the past.
Last night her father Hugh Skelly said he had no idea about his daughter’s relationship.
The businessman said: ‘That’s a shock to me. I had no idea. Hel is my daughter, I know the school, she left last year.
‘I know him. But [the affair] is not anything that I know about.’
Godolphin and Latymer School, which is in Hammersmith, has around 750 pupils between the ages of 11 and 18. Famous alumnae include celebrity chef Nigella Lawson, Hollywood actress Kate Beckinsale, singer Sophie Ellis- Bextor and TV presenter Davina McCall.
Last night a spokesman for the school said: ‘I can confirm that a teacher has resigned/left the school having failed to maintain the high standards of behaviour we expect from all staff. There is nothing further to add.’
Both Mr Culling and Miss Skelly were unavailable for comment last night.