Cornelius Jansen Van Vuuren
Introduction
Cornelius Jansen Van Vuuren was a teacher at Barclay Academy in Stevenage. In June 2024, by then no longer employed at the school, he was convicted at Cambridge Crown Court of an offence of inciting sexual activity with a pupil, contrary to Section 17(1)(e)(i) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, and received a suspended custodial sentence. A Teaching Regulation Agency professional conduct panel met on 7 August 2025, found the allegation proven and recommended his prohibition. On 8 August 2025 the decision maker, David Oatley, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, prohibited him from teaching indefinitely, with no review period and no entitlement to apply for restoration.
Background Information
Van Vuuren joined Barclay Academy as an agency teacher on 2 September 2019 and became a permanent member of staff on 1 September 2020. The school was notified via email that he had exchanged inappropriate messages and pictures with a [REDACTED] pupil, and it notified the LADO and the police. Hertfordshire Police referred the case to the Teaching Regulation Agency on 12 April 2023. He was dismissed on 30 June 2023. Following a police investigation he was charged and pleaded guilty. The TRA agreed to his request that the allegation be considered without a hearing, and he provided a signed statement of agreed facts on 28 January 2025.
The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation
Sexually inappropriate communications with a pupil.
The panel considered an allegation, set out in a notice of meeting dated 22 May 2025, that Mr Van Vuuren had been convicted of a relevant offence: on 17 June 2024, at Cambridge Crown Court, of “Cause / Incite sexual activity with female 13-17 offender 18 or over Abuse of position of trust on 07/04/23 - 09/04/23”, contrary to Section 17(1)(e)(i) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. The offence involved sexual activity and sexual communication with a child, and the panel found that his messages reflected “a manipulative and coercive disposition, indicating his clear intent to abuse his position of trust.”
The panel observed concerning suggestions that he had formed an inappropriate interest in the pupil for some time, citing her police interview in which she described him frequently staring and winking at her. It was also concerned by the unknown means by which he had obtained the pupil’s mobile phone number, for which he had provided no explanation. In his police interview, the message “So grab your arse then Monday?” was put to him, which the panel noted as a clear indication of a threat of sexual behaviour. In her interview, the pupil stated that “he said he would come and collect me and take me back to his and get me all kinds of naked.” The panel noted that he sent two unsolicited indecent photographs of himself to the pupil and incited her to send an indecent image of herself. She said she was “shocked and scared” when she discovered it was Mr Van Vuuren messaging her.
On 17 June 2024 he was sentenced to a 6-month custodial sentence suspended for 24 months, 150 hours of unpaid work, up to 30 rehabilitation days, a Sexual Harm Prevention Order of 7 years and a Sex Offenders Notification requirement of 7 years. He had admitted the allegation before the panel in his signed statement of agreed facts, and the panel noted that he had pleaded guilty at court. It found his conduct “demonstrated a clear risk to the safety and wellbeing of children and his conduct was fundamentally incompatible with his professional responsibilities in the education setting.” The panel found the allegation proven and found that Mr Van Vuuren had been convicted of a relevant offence.
Public Reaction and Consequences
The decision is a regulatory record and refers to no press coverage; the case was considered at a private meeting on the papers after the TRA agreed that no hearing was required. The panel recommended that a prohibition order be imposed with immediate effect, without provision for a review period. “The panel was of the view that prohibition was both proportionate and appropriate. The panel decided that the public interest considerations outweighed the interests of Mr Van Vuuren.” Although he had pleaded guilty and admitted the allegation, the panel observed that at no point, so far as it was aware, did he demonstrate any meaningful understanding of the gravity of his actions or express remorse. The concrete consequences were already substantial: dismissal in June 2023, a suspended custodial sentence, unpaid work, rehabilitation days, a sexual harm prevention order and sex offender notification requirements.
Current Status
On 8 August 2025 the decision maker, David Oatley, imposed a prohibition order on behalf of the Secretary of State. Mr Van Vuuren is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England. No review period was set: the panel recommended none, and the decision maker concluded that allowing for no review period was necessary to maintain public confidence and proportionate. Furthermore, in view of the seriousness of the allegation found proved, he “shall not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach”, so the prohibition has no end point. The order takes effect from the date it is served on him, and he has a right of appeal to the High Court within 28 days from the date he is given notice of it.
Impact on Their Career/Life
The prohibition order ends his teaching career in England permanently: he cannot work as a teacher in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home. The panel was not referred to any evidence of mitigation, good character or insight or remorse, and noted that “Mr Van Vuuren did not provide evidence to demonstrate exceptionally high standards in his personal and professional conduct or his having contributed significantly to the education sector.” Outside the classroom, the conviction leaves him subject to a 7-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a 7-year sex offender notification requirement, alongside the published findings on the Teaching Regulation Agency’s public record.