Drama Teacher Struck Off for Inappropriate Conduct with Pupil
A housemaster at a prestigious boarding school in Sussex has been permanently banned from teaching after a professional conduct panel found him guilty of serious misconduct involving a pupil. Benjamin Phelps, who taught drama at Bede's School, was struck off on January 16 this year following an investigation into his inappropriate relationship with a student.
Inappropriate Messages and Secret Meetings
The misconduct panel revealed that Phelps, a father of two from Swindon, Wiltshire, sent dozens of Google chat messages to the pupil between November 2023 and January 2024. During this period, his wife of eight years was heavily pregnant with their second child. In one particularly concerning message, Phelps wrote: 'I just want to grab you and pick you up and have you wrapped around me. Also (less crass now!) I feel like there is not a single other thought in my brain, not one other than you.'
Phelps pursued the relationship after an initial phone call with the pupil in October, sending messages filled with emojis and kisses, writing notes on napkins, and planning secret meetings during school hours. He encouraged the student to skip lessons, suggesting they 'sneak off together for some lunch' and arranging to 'eat in the car' presumably to avoid detection by other staff members.
Failure in Safeguarding Duties
The panel found that Phelps failed in his fundamental safeguarding responsibilities. In November, the pupil disclosed a matter to him that should have immediately triggered safeguarding procedures, but Phelps took no action. He also failed to report that the pupil had kissed him, further breaching professional boundaries.
Even after being suspended, Phelps disregarded direct instructions to cease all contact with pupils. The panel discovered he answered a phone call from the pupil while already struck off, demonstrating a continued pattern of inappropriate behavior.
Escalation to Banned Communication Methods
The relationship escalated when Phelps moved communications to WhatsApp, a platform explicitly banned for teacher-pupil interactions at the boarding school. The panel noted that messages became 'increasingly personal' during this period, with Phelps and the pupil spending more time together outside lessons and exchanging photographs.
WhatsApp messages included declarations such as: 'Hope you've had a good night, I'm falling asleep with my phone in my hand. I love you and wish you sweet dream!! Contact me about anything xxxxxx' and 'Love you more every day. My heart fluttered every time you caught my eye x also, I love the hearts! Just ready them they'll stay close to me xx.'
Additional Concerning Findings
The investigation uncovered further allegations against Phelps, including that he had entered pupils' rooms and 'allowed the door to close,' creating potentially compromising situations. He also demonstrated awareness of the inappropriate nature of his communications, warning the pupil in one message: 'Maybe delete this chat too in case they look through your phone.'
Bede's School in Hailsham, Sussex, is a top independent institution with boarding and day students aged 13-18. Full boarding fees amount to £17,525 per term, totaling approximately £36,000 annually. The school has now permanently removed Phelps from its teaching staff following the panel's findings of serious misconduct and failure in safeguarding duties.
