Adrian Reilly

Introduction

Adrian Reilly, an economics teacher at Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School in Sutton Coldfield, was banned from teaching in August 2023 after admitting that he made racist remarks about two sixth-form pupils in front of their class — asking “who would hire those two? They look like terrorists” and joking that one’s coat was “the kind of thing you could get a bomb under” — and that days later he posted an image to his class’s MS Teams channel showing a clothed man pushing his face into the bottom of a naked woman. A Teaching Regulation Agency panel found the allegations proved on his admissions; decision maker Sarah Buxcey prohibited him indefinitely with a three-year review period.

Background Information

The incident that ended Reilly’s career began on 12 March 2020, during an afternoon economics lesson, when Pupil A and Pupil G left the classroom early to attend interviews. Pupil A complained the next day to the assistant headteacher in charge of sixth form, saying other students had told him what Reilly said after they left. The school ran a fact-finding exercise, took accounts from the two pupils, and obtained witness statements from two classmates present in the room. Reilly’s own account was that he had made a general comment looking out of the window, to no one in particular: “look at that stupid coat, it is the kind of thing you could get a bomb under”. The pupils present remembered something more pointed and personal.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation

Admitted racist remarks about pupils and a degrading image shared to a class. Reilly admitted the facts, admitted in evidence that the comments could be seen as racist, and was banned; the panel found his conduct fell far below the standards required of a teacher.

Pupil B told the panel that after Pupil A and Pupil G left the lesson, Reilly said: “who would hire these two? They look like terrorists” and “Pupil G looks like he’s wearing one of those vests” — a reference those present understood as a jibe at the pupil’s appearance and perceived ethnicity. Pupil C reported words to the same effect. The panel accepted the pupils’ accounts, noting that Reilly’s version — a stray remark about a coat — did not match what two independent witnesses described. Four days later, on 16 March 2020, as the school moved online, Reilly posted to the class’s MS Teams channel an image appearing to show a clothed man pushing his face into the bottom of a naked woman; he did not dispute that he uploaded it, and admitted the posting in his evidence.

Reilly admitted the facts of the allegations in a signed statement of agreed facts dated 20 April 2022, gave oral evidence at the hearing, and admitted during it that he could see how others might view the comments as racist. The panel found the allegations proved, characterised the remarks as inappropriate, unprofessional and discriminatory, and found the image posting conduct likely to bring the profession into disrepute. On sanction it noted that the character references before it came mainly from former pupils, but accepted the panel’s observation that there was no evidence demonstrating exceptionally high standards in his personal and professional conduct or a significant contribution to the education sector. It recommended prohibition with a three-year review period; Buxcey agreed the order was necessary on 25 August 2023.

Public Reaction and Consequences

The decision circulated through the profession via the regulator’s published outcomes rather than press coverage; the school was not named in reports beyond the determination itself. Within the findings, the panel’s reasoning on racism was direct: a teacher’s comments that pupils experience as ethnically charged strike at the inclusive environment schools must provide, and a sexualised image broadcast to a class — even framed as humour — is disrepute regardless of intent. The three-year review recommendation reflected his admissions and engagement with the process rather than any finding of insight into the racial element; the panel recorded his concession that others could see the remarks as racist, but not that he accepted them as such at the time.

Current Status

Reilly is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England. The order of 25 August 2023 took effect on service and carries a three-year review period, meaning he may apply for it to be set aside after three years — an application that would go to a fresh panel and carries no guarantee. He retains a right of appeal to the High Court within 28 days of notice. He has published no public statement about the case.

Impact on Their Career/Life

The case is the regulator’s benchmark for classroom racism plus online indiscretion: neither incident involved physical conduct or a criminal charge, yet the combination of discriminatory remarks about identifiable pupils in front of their peers and a degrading image pushed to a class channel left the panel with no room short of prohibition. For Reilly, a grammar school economics post ended over two incidents inside a single week in March 2020; his admissions shortened the process but could not shorten the outcome below an indefinite ban with review. For schools, the findings underline that pupils’ contemporaneous accounts carry decisive weight where a teacher’s memory of events is more charitable.

Sources

• Dept for Education, “Teacher misconduct panel outcome: Dr Adrian Reilly” — source