Ms Erin Hebblewhite

Introduction

Erin Hebblewhite was Subject Leader of PE at Connaught School for Girls in London, having been offered the role on 14 July 2016. On 27 April 2021 she was convicted of sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 17 while in a position of trust, contrary to the Sexual Offences Act 2003, along with related offences including making indecent images of children; she was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on 23 November 2021 to a term of imprisonment. In March 2024 the Secretary of State banned her from teaching for life, with no review period and no entitlement ever to apply for restoration. Hebblewhite took no part in the regulatory proceedings: the allegations were not admitted, and she was neither present nor represented at the hearing.

Background Information

Hebblewhite’s career at Connaught School for Girls ended on 31 October 2018, when the school suspended her following a notification from the Waltham Forest local authority designated officer (LADO) on 25 October 2018 that a former student had alleged there had been a sexual relationship with her. After an investigation by the LADO and the school, a referral was made to the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) on 6 May 2019. Conviction followed in April 2021 and sentence in November 2021, the Snaresbrook Crown Court imposing a custodial sentence for what the panel later described as “multiple offences pertaining to the aforementioned sexual relationship”.

A professional conduct panel of the TRA convened on 1 March 2024, by virtual hearing. Applying to proceed in Hebblewhite’s absence, the TRA relied on her response suggesting she would not be pursuing teaching as a career; the panel determined that she had voluntarily absented herself, saw no merit in an adjournment, and held that the significant public interest outweighed any potential prejudice to her. It proceeded without her; no live witnesses were called.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation

Allegations and findings. The findings in this section are those of a Teaching Regulation Agency professional conduct panel, which reported proving them on the balance of probabilities. On 27 April 2021 Hebblewhite was convicted of: three counts of sexual activity with a female aged 13 to 17, the offender not believing the victim was over 18, abuse of trust, between 6 January and 29 June 2018, contrary to section 16(1)(e)(i) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003; one count of the same offence on 15 February 2018; one count of sexual activity in the presence of a child aged 13 to 17, offender aged 18 or over, abuse of position of trust, between 6 January and 29 June 2018, contrary to section 18(1)(f)(i) of the 2003 Act; and two counts of making an indecent photograph or pseudo-photograph of children on 28 October 2018, contrary to section 1(a) of the Protection of Children Act 1978. The offending led to a custodial sentence. In the absence of any response from her, the allegations were not admitted, nor was the conviction of a relevant offence admitted; Hebblewhite did not attend the hearing and was not represented.

The panel was provided with a signed Certificate of Conviction from the Crown Court at Snaresbrook confirming that Hebblewhite had been convicted of the offences as alleged. Accepting legal advice, it took the certificate as conclusive evidence, found all four allegations proved, and went on to find that those proven facts amounted to convictions for relevant offences.

The panel found the conduct breached the Teachers’ Standards, including upholding public trust in the profession, observing proper boundaries with pupils, safeguarding pupils’ wellbeing, and not undermining fundamental British values including the rule of law. It recorded that the behaviour could affect public confidence in the teaching profession, and felt that behaviours pertaining to the offences involved “sexual communication with a child and controlling and coercive behaviour”. The sentence of imprisonment, the panel noted, was “indicative of the seriousness of the offences committed”.

Public Reaction and Consequences

The panel found a strong public interest across the board — safeguarding pupils’ wellbeing, protecting the public, maintaining public confidence in the profession and upholding proper standards — because the findings involved “engaging in sexual activity with a student over a prolonged period of time”, including “direct sexual activity with a child which included the making of indecent images”.

Mitigation was minimal. There was no evidence that Hebblewhite’s actions were not deliberate; no evidence she acted under duress; the panel found her actions “calculated and motivated”. It accepted that she was of previous good character, and acknowledged “positive remarks made about Ms Hebblewhite’s teaching” — but it did not find a public interest in her remaining a teacher, holding that the severity of the allegations found proved significantly outweighed any such suggestion. It saw no compelling evidence of remorse, and recommended a prohibition order with immediate effect, without a review period.

Decision maker Marc Cavey, deciding on behalf of the Secretary of State on 5 March 2024, found the conduct fell “significantly short of the standards expected of the profession” and that the findings were “particularly serious as they involve direct sexual activity with a child which included the making of indecent images”. Noting the absence of evidence of insight or remorse, he judged there to be “some risk of the repetition of this behaviour” putting pupils’ future wellbeing at risk, and concluded that her offences were “incompatible with being a teacher”. No separate mainstream press coverage of the case has been located; the published decision is the public record.

Current Status

Hebblewhite “is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England”. Because the order makes no provision for a review period, and in view of the seriousness of the allegations found proved against her, she “shall not be entitled to apply for restoration of her eligibility to teach” — the ban is lifelong, with no route back. The order takes effect from the date it is served on her, and she has a right of appeal to the High Court within 28 days of notice.

Impact on Their Career/Life

The custodial sentence removed Hebblewhite from the classroom in November 2021; the prohibition order removed any possibility of return. The panel acknowledged positive remarks about her teaching and her previous good character, but held that the severity of the offences — sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 17 while in a position of trust, together with the making of indecent images of children — left no public interest in her remaining in the profession. The Secretary of State placed considerable weight on the offences’ very serious nature and the lack of evidence of insight or remorse. The public record is the conviction, the findings, and a lifelong ban with no prospect of review.

Sources

• Teaching Regulation Agency, “Teacher misconduct panel outcome: Ms Erin Hebblewhite” — source