Teacher banned from the classroom after restraining child while singing nursery rhyme

A teacher has been banned from the classroom after restraining a child while singing a nursery rhyme.

Benjamin Guilfoyle, 39, was employed at The Loyne Specialist School in Lancaster when the incident took place in July 2022. The school caters to pupils aged four to 19 who have severe to profound learning difficulties and complex needs.

A teaching misconduct panel has found the 39-year-old “inappropriately physically restrained” a pupil and then held onto their hands despite their attempts to break free from his grip.

A witness said Mr Guilfoyle was “getting more cross than usual”, which included shouting, as he attempted to do the actions for the children’s song ‘row row row your boat’ with the pupil by holding their hands and moving their bodies forwards and backwards, the hearing was told. The pupil fled to the corner of the room and “appeared distressed”, she added.

In what is standard safeguarding practice, Guilfoyle called the teaching assistants over to look at the pupil’s hand. The hearing was told that “a red and purple mark around 2cm long under the skin” was found there.

The panel also concluded that Guilfoyle’s actions went against the pupil’s positive behaviour support plan and the school’s behaviour policy.

It found he did not follow the expected steps, such as seeking support from the teaching assistants or using calming techniques, before using physical restraint.

The panel raised particular concerns over suggestions that Guilfoyle had not read relevant safeguarding and protection materials while working at the school, despite being told to do so, and that he had returned to the classroom following the incident, disobeying the headteacher’s orders not to.

“These omissions were viewed as indicative of a wider issue with Mr Guilfoyle’s prioritising of safeguarding and following other directions,” it stated.

The panel found that an immediate teaching ban would be both “proportionate and appropriate” given the “seriousness” of Mr Guilfoyle’s actions.

Acting on behalf of the secretary of education, David Oatley highlighted the panel’s observations that “there was a strong public interest consideration in the safeguarding and wellbeing of pupils and the protection of other members of the public”.

He also pointed to the panel’s findings that while Guilfoyle had expressed remorse, his lack of insight led them to fear his behaviour could be repeated.

Mr Oatley added that he views a prohibition order as necessary to “maintain public confidence in the profession”.

Therefore, he concluded: “Mr Benjamin Guilfoyle is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.”

Mr Guilfoyle may apply for the ban to be reviewed in two years’ time.