A 61-year-old teacher has been banned from teaching in England for life after a disciplinary panel found he had an inappropriate sexual relationship with a former sixth-form pupil.
Teacher Banned for Life Over Relationship with Pupil
Andrew Brook, a long-time teacher at Queen Elizabeth High School, was found to have “exploited his position of trust” in a relationship that began while the student was still in his class.
The misconduct continued after the student left for university. The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel concluded that Brook’s actions amounted to “unacceptable professional conduct.”
The panel noted his “complete lack of insight and remorse” for his behaviour, which they said created a “clear power imbalance” that continued even after the student turned 18.
The Breach of Trust
Andrew Brook’s actions were found to have “fundamentally breached the standard of conduct expected of the profession.”
The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel learned that the inappropriate relationship began in early 2019 when Brook asked the student, referred to as Pupil A, to sit on his lap on a coach trip.
This initial act was followed by messaging on social media and a series of escalating physical interactions.
According to Pupil A, what began as hugs to “warm me up” soon became “quite intimate and extended.” She also testified that Brook would invite her to put her hands under his shirt.
The panel heard how Brook later confessed his feelings for her in the classroom, then picked her up in his van the following day to tell her he had “never had such strong feelings before.”
The student, while finding the situation “weird,” admitted she felt “flattered” by his attention.
Sexual Relationship and Lockdown Visits
The sexual relationship began the same month, with Brook driving Pupil A to remote locations. The student told the panel that they would “park up, put the back seats down, pull the curtains round, then he would tell me to lie down and take my clothes off and we would have sex.”
Brook told her he loved her in May or June of that year.
The relationship continued after Pupil A started university. Brook visited her during a national lockdown, a time when travel was highly restricted.
During these visits, he would bring alcohol, and the two would drink together and allegedly smoke marijuana before having sex.
The student described the relationship as “sexual in nature,” and said that a “large part of the relationship was about sex for him.” The relationship concluded sometime between February and April 2021.
Brook Blames “Moral Policing” in Defence
Andrew Brook accused the investigation of “moral policing,” arguing the former student was not manipulated and “knew what she wanted.” He claimed the sexual relationship, which continued after she started university, was a “private matter” between two consenting adults.
However, the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel cited Brook’s lack of remorse and his attempts to “minimise the impact of his behaviour” on the former pupil as a key reason for their decision.
The panel concluded that this attitude indicated a “real risk of repetition,” leading to his permanent ban from teaching.
Panel Finds Professional Boundaries Breached
The disciplinary panel concluded that Andrew Brook’s actions were a “failure to maintain appropriate professional boundaries.”
The panel noted that although majority of the relationship occurred after the student turned 18, she was still considered a pupil until August 31 of that year.
While they accepted the student’s testimony that the relationship was consensual, the panel found a “clear power imbalance throughout,” which continued even after she started university.
The report stated that Brook showed a “complete lack of insight and remorse,” and there was no evidence his “deep-seated attitude” toward personal relationships with pupils would change.
The “Clear Power Imbalance”
The student told the panel that Andrew Brook’s control over her extended even after she moved on from his classroom. She said that despite her attempts to end the relationship, he convinced her to continue it, even visiting her during a national lockdown.
His insistence on secrecy, which required her to lie, left her feeling isolated from her family and friends for over a year.
The student described the manipulation she experienced, telling the panel, “He was older and in a position of authority. I felt as though I could not say no to him… He had a lot of influence over me—he could have probably told me to do anything, and I would have done it.”
Teacher Banned for Life
The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel has issued an indefinite prohibition order against Andrew Brook, permanently banning him from teaching in England.
The decision was primarily based on his “complete lack of insight and remorse” for his actions. The panel also cited his attempts to “downplay the impact” of his behaviour on the former student as a key reason for their ruling.
Frequently asked questions:
The experts in abuse claims
Schools should be safe, happy places where children and young people can learn and develop and form positive friendships and relationships.
As children, we spend a huge amount of time in education, and when we have negative experiences at school, this can have devastating effects that stay with us into adulthood.
Unfortunately, abuse in schools is common and is not something that only happened years ago. While the general public has increased awareness about abuse, and those employed in schools are subject to more vigorous safeguarding checks than they were in the past, abuse still happens.
Some people have still not come forward to report abuse that happened to them at school, college or even university.
Who will I bring the claim against?
Usually, where you have suffered abuse in an educational setting, the claim will be brought against the organisation that owns or runs the school or college. Often this will be the local authority.
Some schools may be privately owned. Universities in England and Wales are not publicly owned, and the claim will normally be brought against the Trustees of the university.
The abuse happened years ago, and I do not know if my old school even exists anymore.
Most claims for abuse in education are brought years after the abuse occurred. It is part of our job to investigate the school and establish whether it still exists.
Sometimes educational establishments change their name, have a change of ownership, or move to a different address.
It may be that the school closed years ago and the building has been demolished, but this does not necessarily mean that you cannot claim.
Our solicitors are experienced in investigating historic abuse claims. We will undertake thorough enquiries to work out who the claim should be brought against and to obtain the information we need to pursue the case.
I was a troublemaker at school, and my record might reflect this. Will it go against me?
Certainly not! It is not unusual for a child or young person at school who is suffering abuse to ‘go off the rails’ or for their school performance or behaviour to decline.
Evidence of this in your records can often support your case if the timing fits with when you say the abuse was happening.
I am a parent, and my child has suffered abuse at school recently. Can a claim be made now?
Yes. As the parent, you will be able to deal with the claim on behalf of your child. Where a person under 18 brings a compensation claim, they need to have what is known as a ‘Litigation Friend’.
If any compensation is recovered, it will in all cases be held by the Court in a special account until the child reaches 18.
How can I make a claim?
This area of the law is highly specialised, and it is important to have a solicitor who has experience pursuing claims for compensation for sexual and physical abuse and assault.
Whilst these claims are personal injury claims, many aspects differ from general personal injury claims.
Oakwood Solicitors has lawyers who, between them, have over 20 years of experience in recovering compensation for survivors of abuse.
You can contact us for a free, no-obligation chat. We will advise you whether you are eligible to make a claim and the level of damages.
If you decide to pursue the claim, we will do all the work for you, keeping you informed at every stage.
How much compensation will I receive?
Each claim is different. We will assess your claim and give you an idea at the outset of the compensation you can expect to receive.
A civil claim for sexual or physical abuse can include the following types of compensation:
- General damages: An award of money for the abuse/assaults themselves and for the pain, suffering, and any psychological effects.
- Special damages: An award for any specific financial losses we can prove, such as loss of earnings or the costs of any treatment or counselling.
- Aggravated damages: An additional award of money in certain cases where the court considers that there has been additional distress caused by how the abuse occurred.
Further information:
Teacher banned over sexual relationship with pupil.
GOV.UK Teacher misconduct panel outcome: Mr Andrew Brook.
The teacher was banned from the classroom for life after a sexual relationship with a pupil.
Oakwood Solicitors: Abuse in Schools and Education.
WHAT TO DO NEXT:
At Oakwood Solicitors, we have dedicated lawyers with over 20 years of experience acting for survivors of sexual and physical abuse. We understand how difficult it can be to bring and claim, and we are committed to dealing with your case in a sensitive way.
You will have a dedicated solicitor who will deal with your claim from start to finish and who will be able to speak to you at times convenient, even if this is outside our normal office hours.
Get in touch today for a no-obligation consultation. Choose one of the methods on the right-hand side of this page or call us on 0113 486 2528 to find out how we can help you.
Molly Frost joined the Firm in June 2024 and specializes in abuse compensation claims. Having over 20 years’ experience helping survivors recover compensation, she is considered an expert in her fie…
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