Principal Banned After Students Engaged in Misconduct on Ski Trip

Justine Drury, the former principal of CP Riverside School in Nottingham, led the trip to Switzerland in 2017. According to a misconduct panel, students engaged in sexual activity "on multiple occasions," and one student reportedly stole knives from the hotel kitchen.

The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) determined that Drury, 52, failed to obtain parental consent for all attendees and did not take adequate measures to prevent inappropriate behaviour. She was found guilty of "unacceptable professional conduct" and issued a prohibition order, subject to review after five years.

Drury, who had been principal of CP Riverside School—a school specializing in alternative education for students with behavioural and social challenges—since 2015, did not attend the hearing.

The TRA investigation stemmed from allegations made in November 2017 and referred to the agency in December 2018. A witness statement revealed that of the 12 students on the trip, 10 had special educational needs, eight were known to be sexually active, seven had substance misuse issues, and three had ongoing involvement with the justice system.

The panel stated, "If individual assessments had been conducted, certain pupils would likely have been deemed unsuitable for the ski trip."

While three staff members and two ski instructors were assigned to supervise the group, one staff member was an apprentice. The panel acknowledged some measures were taken to mitigate risks, such as separating boys and girls on different floors, but these were deemed insufficient.

The report found that sexual activity "likely took place on multiple occasions" because students were left unsupervised in their rooms.

The TRA concluded that Drury failed to safeguard the students and breached numerous policies and procedures.

"[She] failed to prioritize the interests of the school or its pupils, thereby inhibiting measures that could have safeguarded students in the aftermath of the incidents," the panel stated.

Drury also faced criticism for not disclosing the full extent of the misconduct, which the panel said "fell far below the ethical standards expected of a teacher, particularly given her role as head teacher."

Drury's teaching ban underscores the critical importance of safeguarding and adhering to professional standards, particularly when overseeing vulnerable students. Her prohibition order will be reviewed in five years.

A school principal has been banned from teaching after failing to prevent incidents of shoplifting, drinking, and sexual activity during a school ski trip

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