Ex-Newlands head of music banned over 'sexually motivated conduct' towards pupils

A former head of music at Newlands Girls’ School in Maidenhead has been banned from teaching indefinitely over a litany of ‘sexually motivated’ advances on students.

Ian Shilling, who worked at the school between 2012 and 2020, showed a ‘lack of genuine remorse’ following his actions and remained a ‘risk to pupils’, industry watchdog the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) said.

Shilling, 41, made ‘improper physical contact’ with students, sent them lewd ‘gifts’ and messages as well as nude images of himself, among the offences that the TRA identified as proven.

The disgraced ex-teacher was given a court-issued Sexual Risk Order in 2023 following an investigation into his behaviour at school in Farm Road, but was never charged with a criminal offence, Thames Valley Police said.

A spokesperson for Newlands said pupils’ safety was the school’s ‘highest priority’ and Shilling had been suspended ‘as soon as safeguarding concerns were raised’.

The TRA’s investigation heard evidence from five former students about his misconduct.

One told the TRA that Shilling’s behaviour was like an ‘abusive relationship that she could not leave’, while others said they had been ‘preyed on’ and ‘manipulated’.

Further testimony from a former pupil said Shilling’s actions had, ‘affected her life’ for a long time and that she felt ‘ashamed’ and ‘embarrassed’.

The TRA found Shilling had engaged in ‘improper physical contact’ and ‘failed to maintain appropriate professional boundaries’.

One offence described how he put his hands on the hips of a student wearing a bikini while they were in a swimming pool, while another said he touched a girl’s bottom while they posed for a photograph together.

Evidence submitted to the TRA said sexual objects were also given to students and included ‘glow in the dark condoms’, lingerie and underwear.

Shilling also gave a student a Valentine’s Day card, the TRA said.

In class, Shilling was also found to have distributed a worksheet that depicted Lion King characters in ‘a sexual pose’, as well as women in revealing clothing.

Sordid text messages Shilling sent to pupils included telling one student she had ‘the hottest, sexiest body in the world’ and another that ‘it is clear why men are turned on and driven wild by your looks’.

Crude images of himself were also sent, and included one where he posed ‘wearing only a pair of sunglasses and his underwear, holding a French baguette in front of his penis’.

The TRA said that Shilling ‘continuously sent photographs of himself without clothing on which created an environment in which the pupils felt like they were expected to send similar photographs back’.

Shilling would send more messages to pupils in an attempt to coerce them not to expose his wrongdoing.

He messaged one pupil: “Please don’t mention it to anyone else including your parents.”

The TRA report said: “Mr Shilling’s actions were deliberate, as he instructed pupils and former pupils to conceal their messages and gifts as he knew that they were inappropriate.

“Additionally, Mr Shilling’s conduct occurred across two years with multiple pupils in two different year groups.

“The panel was satisfied that Mr Shilling’s behaviour was not a momentary lapse of judgment, but was a calculated course of action in pursuit of sexual gratification.”

The TRA said Shilling had given a ‘self-serving apology’ and continued to pose a risk to the ‘wellbeing of pupils’.

The report said: “As a result of Mr Shilling’s lack of insight and genuine remorse, the panel considered that there was a risk of repetition”

A decision made by David Oatley on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education banned Shilling indefinitely from the teaching profession.

“I have placed considerable weight on the panel’s comments concerning the seriousness of Mr Shilling’s repeated inappropriate and sexually motivated conduct towards pupils,” Mr Oatley said.

When approached for comment on the TRA decision, a Newlands Girls’ School spokesperson said: “The safety of our students is our highest priority.

“As soon as safeguarding concerns were raised about a member of teaching staff, we acted immediately by suspending the individual and raising a report to the Teaching Regulation Agency.

“We are reassured by the resolution of this case and will continue to uphold the most rigorous safeguarding standards.”

A Thames Valley Police spokesperson said: “Officers arrested a 36-year-old man from High Wycombe on July 2 2020 on suspicion of sexual assault, sending an offensive, indecent or menacing message via a public communications network, and engaging in sexual activity with an underage girl.

“Following a full investigation by Thames Valley Police, the man was not charged in relation to these offences.

“However, as a safeguarding measure, Thames Valley Police applied for and was granted a Sexual Risk Order on January 26 2023 by High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court."