Two UK Teachers Banned Over Sexual Remarks, Slap

A south London teacher, Amrinder Singh Pannu, 38, formerly head of science at St Mark’s Church of England Academy in Mitcham, was banned from teaching for life after a Teaching Regulation Agency panel in late September 2025 found recordings from September 2018 showed him making sexually explicit and sexually motivated remarks to a pupil, including comments such as “you’re one horny girl” and offers to have sex after she turned 18; the recordings were reportedly made by the pupil during a free period and sent in an anonymous whistleblowing email that prompted his suspension and dismissal. The panel found Pannu breached professional and safeguarding duties and showed limited remorse; Anthem Schools Trust said he was suspended and dismissed once the historic incident came to light and that no current students were taught by him, noting the school’s 2024 Ofsted “Outstanding” rating. Separately, Bernard Aquilina, 35, a computer science teacher at Cove Secondary School in Hampshire, was banned from teaching after a panel found he gave a pupil a “hard slap” across the cheek in February 2024—an incident corroborated by CCTV and multiple student statements—which led to his dismissal in May 2024. The panel cited concerns about Aquilina’s insight into the behaviour and the potential future risk to pupils.