A deputy headteacher who engaged in sexual activity with a pupil in a cupboard in his office at a private school for girls has been banned from teaching.
Philip Culling, 52, was one of two child protection officers at the Godolphin and Latymer School in west London when he "exploited his position" to start a sexual relationship with the "vulnerable" girl.
The teacher was caught when a dinner lady accidentally walked into his office cupboard, discovering him having oral sex with the girl, only known as Person B.
But at that point, Culling had already been in a sexual relationship with the girl for years. A Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) tribunal heard he took the girl’s virginity in a public park, and made regular visits to her family home for sex.
As their affair intensified, the music teacher took her to a pub on her birthday, bought her flowers and would come around to her family home almost once a week for sex during the summer holiday.
His actions were only revealed after the girl had left the school, but Culling was allowed to resign without punishment, and took up a new job at Holland Park Pre-Prep and Nursery two years later.
In 2022, an issue was raised by someone who knew about the previous allegations, and he was referred to the TRA, which has now banned him from teaching for life.
The panel heard how the teacher and pupil, known only as "Person B", began exchanging emails from 2010, many of which he told her to delete.
He was also found to have obtained her personal phone number using school records and started texting her.
The panel was shown a Valentine's card signed by "Phil" addressed to "by far the most gorgeous and wonderful person in the entire world".
From 2012, after the teacher had told Person B he loved her, "they tried to find opportunities to be alone", but nothing physical happened apart from hugging, the panel heard.
The following year, after they had been on separate nights out, they kissed for the first time.
"From then on, they would kiss when they met up," the panel heard, including on one occasion in the school's lift.
Person B told the panel she had oral sex in a cupboard in his office early in the morning on several occasions.
On the girl's birthday, Culling took her to the pub at lunchtime during the school day so he could "wish her a happy birthday properly", the panel heard.
He also made her CDs and sent her flowers to wish her good luck for her A-level exams.
On the night of the school's leavers' party, he secretly met up with the pupil in a public park where he took her virginity, the panel heard.
Person B said that over the summer when nobody was home, Culling would normally come round once a week to have sex with her.
After she had moved into a flat with somebody else, "a lot of sexual acts including touching and oral sex happened in very public areas", the panel was told.
In 2023, after Culling had been reported to the TRA, the teacher sent Person B a WhatsApp message telling her it was best not to engage with the proceedings.
"I'm hoping you will agree with me that it is best not to engage with it. You can't be made to," he told her.
Panel chair Jo Palmer-Tweed said Culling had taken advantage "of the position of trust he was in towards a vulnerable child for his own gratification".
"Mr Culling exploited his position to advance a sexual relationship with a vulnerable pupil, and his misconduct was of the utmost seriousness."
The chair described the "shame" Person B feels as a result of their relationship, and having been "coerced to lie to protect him".
"It has tainted her memories of her school experience."
