Teacher at top private school struck off for using racist language and giving alcohol to underage pupils

Former Oundle School history teacher Philip Pedley (60) has been banned from teaching after being found to have used racist expressions, including telling one pupil “your father must have come over, stealing our jobs.”

A professional conduct panel also found that he made derogatory and/or disparaging remarks about pupils and, “on the balance of probabilities,” deliberately mispronounced a pupil’s name to give it a sexual connotation.

Moreover, on a school trip to Vienna and Budapest in November 2015 he was found to have been bought alcohol for an underage pupil without a substantial meal, allowed pupils to drink excessive amount of alcohol and drank alcohol himself in front of the pupils.

Allegations that he called a pupil a “witch,” and smoked in front of pupils on the school trip, were not found to be proven.

Pedley, a teacher at the school for 26 years, had his employment terminated in December 2016.

The panel said Pedley also appeared to have had an otherwise “unblemished professional record” over 30 years and had shown remorse for his conduct.

It also accepted that Pedley never intended to offend or upset his pupils, is not a racist and “abhors racism.”

The panel had not wanted Pedley to be banned through a prohibition order due to “overwhelming evidence in support of his ability as an excellent teacher.”

However, a decision made on behalf of the Education Secretary went against the wishes of the panel after deciding that it had not given adequate weight to the “potential damage to the public perception of the teaching profession” if Pedley’s behaviour was not dealt with “appropriately and proportionately.”

Pedley can appeal the prohibition order now, or apply for the order the be reversed in February 2020.

Oundle School said: “Philip Pedley was employed as a history teacher at Oundle School until his employment was terminated in December 2016.

“The school complied with its regulatory duties in reporting Mr Pedley’s departure from the school to the appropriate authorities.

“The Department of Education conducted its own investigation through the National College for Teaching and Learning.

“Its findings are now in the public domain.

“Oundle School is committed to the welfare of its pupils and to promoting the highest professional standards in its staff.”