UK teacher escapes ban after giving vulnerable pupil sexually explicit books

A UK private school teacher has escaped a teaching ban despite being found guilty of professional misconduct after giving a vulnerable pupil photography books containing graphic images of sex, drug use and nudity.

Fiona Simpson, who taught A-level photography at Burlington House School in Fulham, west London, defended her decision to provide the material, arguing that students at this level were “young adults” and should not be shielded from artistic expression. The £51,552-a-year independent school caters for pupils with special educational needs.

The books given to the pupil were Diary by Corinne Day and Emotions & Relations. They contained images depicting drug use, oral sex, a naked man and a blood-splattered bedroom. Responding to the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) conduct panel, Simpson said she did not believe in censoring art and maintained that students should understand the history of photography and its influential figures.

“As far as allowing students to access specific books, I absolutely do not believe in censoring the arts. These are not primary school children; they are young adults,” she said. She added that pupils should be familiar with key figures and developments in photographic history. However, the panel described her explanation as “misguided”, stressing that the issue was not the artistic merit of the photographers or their work, but the failure to consider the particular needs and vulnerabilities of the pupil.

It found no evidence that Simpson had provided meaningful supervision, guidance or context to help the pupil engage with the highly graphic images. The panel said it should have been apparent that giving such material to a vulnerable pupil without appropriate structure or support could pose a significant risk to their wellbeing.

It also noted that Simpson had not considered the potential risks or consulted professional colleagues about how to approach the sensitive material. The panel identified two further safeguarding concerns involving her conduct. CCTV footage showed Simpson swinging a book or magazine towards the pupil and making contact with their bottom as they walked ahead of her. She maintained that the contact was accidental and intended as a gesture to encourage the pupil to return to class.

The panel, however, ruled that the contact was “inappropriate” and “entirely unwarranted”. In a separate incident, Simpson took an unwell pupil to a cafe during school hours, which the panel also considered a safeguarding failure. Simpson joined Burlington House School in November 2022 but was dismissed during her probationary period in March 2023. The school referred her to the TRA three months later.

Following a hearing in October 2026, the panel concluded that she was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct. Despite identifying a risk that Simpson could repeat her behaviour, the panel stopped short of recommending a prohibition order, placing her misconduct at the “lower possible end of the spectrum”.

It also found no evidence that she had developed sufficient insight into her actions. The panel said publishing its findings would alert prospective employers to the concerns and enable schools to introduce appropriate supervision and safeguards should they employ her.