Teacher banned from education after sexual relationship with student

A former teacher has been banned from the profession for life for having a sexual relationship with a female pupil.

Stuart Blan abused his position of trust and failed to understand or have genuine remorse for his actions – even to the point of asking the pupil’s parents if they could stay together after he left the school, a Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) professional conduct panel heard.

The 53-year-old, who was a science teacher and then assistant housemaster at Clifton College between 1994 and 2000, groomed the youngster during his second stint working at the public school in 2004.

Blan, who did not attend the hearing and was not represented, denied failing to maintain a proper boundary appropriate to a teacher’s professional position by having sexual relations with the girl, known as Pupil E, and also denied his conduct was sexually motivated, but the panel found both proven.

He admitted failing to treat pupils with dignity by using intimidatory behaviour and language while a teacher at Canford College in Dorset, and also failing to disclose to the British School Al Khubairat (BSAK) in the UAE that he had been a teacher at Clifton College in 2004 and that his conduct lacked integrity.

The ex-teacher accepted he was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute.

The panel’s report said the youngster’s evidence at the hearing was “measured and candid”.

“The panel found that Mr Blan was still teaching lessons at the school, until told not to do so by the school in 2004.

“It was accepted by both Mr Blan and Pupil E that after this the relationship continued into the summer of 2005.”

In his statement, the teacher admitted he had sexual relations with the girl but denied he developed an inappropriate relationship with her while employed at Clifton College.

“The panel did not accept that evidence, it preferred the evidence of Pupil E,” the report said.

It said there were rumours at the time relating to an inappropriate relationship between a teacher and pupil and there was evidence “this had resulted in a notice being placed in the school advising people not to speak to the press”.

The report said: “Having found the facts proved, the panel further found that Mr Blan’s conduct amounted to both unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute.

He was banned from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth-form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.

The report said allegations came to light around November 2017 while Blan worked at BSAK about the 2004/05 relationship with Pupil E, which triggered a formal investigation by Clifton College into the historical allegations.

“The School determined that there was insufficient evidence to pursue the allegations against Mr Blan further,” it added.

A Clifton College spokesperson said afterwards: “Clifton College notes, with utmost seriousness, the findings of the TRA in relation to the inappropriate and abhorrent behaviour of a former teacher who left the school in 2004.

“We would like to extend our sincere apologies to those students who were affected at that time.

“The TRA’s findings are a reminder of the importance of our ongoing vigilance and improvement, to which we remain wholly committed.”

In March this year, the official Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse published a report into the way Clifton College handled a series of allegations and cases involving teachers abusing pupils dating from the 1990s to 2014.

Alex Seabrook is a local democracy reporter for Bristol

Main photo: Martin Booth

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