Christian Watkinson
Introduction
Christian Watkinson was a science teacher at The Christian School (Takeley) in Bishop’s Stortford. Between November 2022 and May 2023, a Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) professional conduct panel found, he used his school laptop to access and engage in adult chat sites and adult content while teaching and/or supervising pupils, and bypassed the school’s internet monitoring system using a phone “hotspot” connection. All four allegations were found proven. On 21 August 2025, decision maker Marc Cavey, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education, prohibited him from teaching indefinitely with a ten-year review period.
Background Information
Watkinson began at the school on 1 September 2020 as a science teacher. In November 2022, pupils reported seeing an inappropriate image on the big screen during a science lesson; the school recorded a low-level concern dated 24 November 2022; he apologised, acknowledging the tab — which he said was his Instagram account — should not have been open. On 17 May 2023 a pupil reported seeing inappropriate content on his school laptop. The school investigated, found evidence of misuse on 18 May 2023, and referred the matter to the local authority designated officer (LADO). A disciplinary hearing took place on 30 May 2023, and the school referred the case to the TRA the same day. The panel met on 19 August 2025, in private and without a hearing, at Mr Watkinson’s request.
The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation
Adult content on a school laptop, during lessons.
The panel considered four allegations from his time at the school: that he used a school laptop to access or engage in adult chat sites and/or adult content while teaching and/or supervising pupils; that he did so by bypassing the school’s internet monitoring system; that this conduct lacked integrity and/or was dishonest; and that he ignored the advice given on 24 November 2022 and/or was reckless. He admitted the facts of all four allegations in a statement of agreed facts signed on 11 December 2024, and admitted they amounted to unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute. The panel nonetheless made its own determination.
Pupils’ statements, taken during the school’s May 2023 investigation, described what appeared on the laptop screen. Pupil A reported a message reading “I can’t wait to see you in your sexy brown underwear”. Pupil E described messages and images on a messaging app, including one that said “I can’t wait to see you in your underpants”. Pupil F said they had seen something inappropriate on the laptop screen “nearly almost every lesson”. The panel placed weight on this hearsay evidence because the pupils’ accounts were consistent with one another, the other evidence in the bundle, and his own admissions.
School records showed he had been denied access to a large number of sites, some flagged as being “web chats”, and an accompanying report indicated he was online during lessons and had repeatedly attempted to access Google Chat. He admitted using a “hotspot” internet connection to bypass the school’s filtering and monitoring system, which blocked adult content from its systems. The school’s Acceptable Use Policy, signed by Mr Watkinson in May 2021, stated: “I will never use school devices and networks/internets/platforms/other technologies to access material that is illegal or in any way inappropriate for an education setting. I will not attempt to bypass security or monitoring and will look after devices loaned to me”.
The panel found all four allegations proven. His bypass of the monitoring system lacked integrity and was found to be “seriously dishonest”. He failed to heed the advice given after the November 2022 incident, and his conduct was “exceptionally reckless”: he allowed the content to remain visible on his screen and pupils saw it. He was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct, and his actions were found to constitute conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute.
Public Reaction and Consequences
The published record is a regulatory one and records no press coverage. The panel recommended a prohibition order with immediate effect, finding a strong public interest in protecting pupils: “As a result of Mr Watkinson’s conduct, pupils were exposed to adult material during lessons. As such, there was a strong public interest consideration in the safeguarding and wellbeing of pupils and the protection of other members of the public.” It found no evidence of mitigation, insight or remorse: he provided no evidence and did not engage in the school’s disciplinary process. He told the Presenting Officer of a personal matter that is redacted in the published decision; the panel accepted it could have affected his engagement with the proceedings, but had no medical evidence to that effect. Marc Cavey, deciding for the Secretary of State, concluded that a published decision alone would not maintain public confidence and imposed the prohibition order with a ten-year review period on 21 August 2025.
Current Status
Watkinson is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and “cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England”. The decision states: “He may apply for the prohibition order to be set aside, but not until 30 August 2035, ten years from the date of this order at the earliest.” That is not an automatic right to have the order removed — if he applies, a panel will meet to consider whether it should be set aside, and without a successful application he remains prohibited indefinitely. The order takes effect from the date it is served on him. He had a right of appeal to the High Court within 28 days of being given notice of the order.
Impact on Their Career/Life
The prohibition order ends his ability to teach in England: no school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home. The decision maker placed considerable weight on the absence of insight or remorse, finding “this lack of evidence that Mr Watkinson has developed full insight into and remorse for his actions means that there is some risk of the repetition of this behaviour and this puts at risk the future wellbeing of pupils”. The panel had noted there was no evidence before it of his ability as an educator, or that he had contributed significantly to the education sector. Any return to teaching now depends on a successful set-aside application, which cannot be made before 30 August 2035.