Mr David Aves

Introduction

Mr David Aves was a full-time music teacher employed by Seckford Education Trust (“SET”) from August 2022, working across two schools in the Trust, including SET Beccles School in Suffolk; from January 2023 he was employed on a full-time basis at the School. On 10 January 2023 he contacted the School to say he was too unwell to attend work; the same day, he commenced a short-term contract at Pakefield High School via a recruitment agency. A Teaching Regulation Agency panel heard the case in March 2025 and found all four allegations proved: claiming illness while able to work, teaching at another school while on sick leave, and providing a purported letter from a senior colleague she had never written. Not present and not represented, Mr Aves was prohibited from teaching indefinitely.

Background Information

The notice of proceedings, dated 2 December 2024, alleged unacceptable professional conduct and/or conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute. Mr Aves did not respond, so the allegations were considered as denied, and the panel concluded he had “voluntarily waived his right to attend”, proceeding in his absence. Two witnesses called by the TRA, Witness A and Witness B, gave oral evidence. The panel directed that any details regarding Mr Aves’ health would be heard in private and redacted from the written decision. He had been referred to the TRA on 10 May 2023.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation

On 10 January 2023, Mr Aves emailed the School at 06:05am: “I tested positive for Covid last night and this morning. I’m hoping it’s only a mild case but nevertheless will need to isolate for 5 days as a precaution.” That same day he commenced a short-term agency contract at Pakefield High School as a music teacher via the Teach Recruitment Agency, due to run from 10 January to 31 March 2023. An attendance record confirmed he signed into Pakefield on three dates, 10, 12 and 13 January 2023, while telling SET Beccles he was too unwell to work.

A further email followed on 18 January 2023 at 05:55am: “I’m still testing positive and still feeling rough, mainly coughing and chest complications.” He added: “I will collect a medical certificate from GP today as it is ready for collection and will forward on to you.” The only sick note the panel saw was dated 31 January 2023, covering the period 31 January to 28 February 2023. Mr Aves did not return to the School after his 10 January sick call. After he emailed Pakefield on 17 January saying he could not attend that day because [REDACTED], that school cancelled the contract due to his continued absence. The panel was concerned that he had “provided different explanations for his absence from each school”.

On or around 17 March 2023, a letter dated that day, purportedly from Witness A, a senior member of staff at the School, on SET headed paper, was provided to the agency. It stated: “This statement acknowledges that your employment at SET Beccles did not commence as from 1st January 2023. Please use this statement for auditing purposes if required”. Witness A told the panel she had not written the letter and had not seen it until the agency asked her to verify it on or around 20 March 2023. She used the School’s headed paper, not SET’s, and the letter bore no signature, whereas she always signed her School letters. The panel inferred Mr Aves was the only person who could have benefited from the letter being sent, and found the allegation proved on the balance of probabilities.

With all four allegations proved, the panel was satisfied that his actions were deliberate and inferred that they were for financial gain: he took his full salary from the School while he was absent, and at the same time took a fee from the agency for working at Pakefield High School. “In the panel’s view, this was dishonest behaviour by the standards of ordinary decent people.” Children at the School did not have the benefit of their class teacher on those three days when he was clearly able to work, and “Mr Aves had lied to his employer, the recruitment agency and Pakefield High School.”

Public Reaction and Consequences

The panel found the proven facts amounted to unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute. It found a breach of the Teachers’ Standards, whose preamble states that “teachers act with honesty and integrity”, and that the offence of fraud or serious dishonesty was relevant. With only some, albeit very limited, evidence that he had ability as an educator, the panel judged that the public interest outweighed any interest in retaining him in the profession. There was no evidence of good character and no evidence of insight or remorse; Mr Aves had not engaged with the TRA or the proceedings. It recommended a prohibition order with immediate effect, with a review period of three years.

Current Status

On 12 March 2025, decision maker Sarah Buxcey, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education, imposed the prohibition order, following the panel’s determination of 6 March 2025. Mr David Aves “is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.” He may apply for the order to be set aside, but not until 18 March 2028, three years from the date of the order at the earliest, and this is not an automatic right. The order takes effect from the date it is served on him, and he has a right of appeal to the Kings Bench Division of the High Court within 28 days from the date he is given notice of the order.

Impact on Their Career/Life

Mr Aves’ teaching career in England is effectively over: he ceased employment at SET Beccles on 22 March 2023 after a period of absence, the Pakefield contract was cancelled, and he is barred indefinitely from every school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation and children’s home in England. The decision maker placed considerable weight on the findings of dishonesty and the absence of insight or remorse. The panel’s judgment was blunt: pupils lost their class teacher on three days when he was clearly able to work, in conduct it inferred was for financial gain.

Sources

• Teaching Regulation Agency, “Teacher misconduct panel outcome: Mr David Aves” — source