Mr Anthony Cooke

The Secretary of State does not make these decisions themselves. They are made by a senior official on the recommendation of an independent panel.

Teacher's name: Mr Anthony Cooke

Teacher reference number: 3331108

Teacher's date of birth: 6 December 1965

Location teacher worked: Tring, east of England

Date of professional conduct panel: 12 October 2022

Outcome type: prohibition order

Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with The Teacher's’ Disciplinary (England) Regulations 2012, a professional conduct panel was convened to consider the case of Mr Anthony Cooke, formerly employed in Tring, east of England.

Teacher misconduct

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5 Quinton RoadCoventryCV1 2WT

Email TRA.Casework@education.gov.uk

Telephone 020 7593 5393

Information about regulating the teaching profession and the process for dealing with serious teacher misconduct.

Mr Anthony Cooke (also known as Mr Tony Bessick) Professional conduct panel meeting outcome Panel decision and reasons on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education October 2022 2 Contents Introduction 3 Allegations 4 Preliminary applications 5 Summary of evidence 6 Documents 6 Statement of agreed facts 6 Decision and reasons 7 Findings of fact 7 Panel’s recommendation to the Secretary of State 14 Decision and reasons on behalf of the Secretary of State 17 3 Professional conduct panel decision and recommendations, and decision on behalf of the Secretary of State Teacher: Mr Anthony Cooke, also known as Mr Tony Bessick Teacher ref number: 3331108 Teacher date of birth: 6 December 1965 TRA reference: 0019995 Date of determination: 12 October 2022 Former employer: Tring School of Performing Arts, Hertfordshire Introduction A professional conduct panel (“the panel”) of the Teaching Regulation Agency (“the TRA”) convened by virtual means, to consider the case of Mr Cooke. The panel members were Ms Penny Griffith (lay panellist – in the chair), Ms Jackie Hutchings (teacher panellist) and Mr Maurice McBride (lay panellist). The legal adviser to the panel was Mr Luisa Gibbons of Eversheds Sutherland (International LLP) solicitors. In advance of the meeting, after taking into consideration the public interest and the interests of justice, the TRA agreed to a request from Mr Cooke that the allegations be considered without a hearing. Mr Cooke provided a signed statement of agreed facts and admitted unacceptable professional conduct and/or conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute. The panel considered the case at a meeting without the attendance of the presenting officer, Sarah Vince of Browne Jacobson LLP or Mr Cooke. The meeting took place in private. 4 Allegations The panel considered the allegations set out in the notice of meeting dated 30 September 2022. It was alleged that Mr Cooke was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and/or conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute, in that: Whilst employed as a teacher of drama at the Tring School of Performing Arts between 3 September 2017 and 7 May 2021: 1. He failed to maintain appropriate professional boundaries towards Pupil A: a. By sending messages and/or images via social media and/or text that: i. used swear words and/or derogatory terms in respect of Pupil A [Schedule A: 2,14,30, 34, 39]. ii were overly informal and/or personal [Schedule A:1, 4, 16, 20, 22, 25, 40] iii referenced alcohol consumption [Schedule A: 3, 5, 17, 23-26, 30, 32, 35-37] iv sought to meet with Pupil A outside his professional context [Schedule A: 6, 11, 13, 18, 24, 26, 31, 33-37, 39] v. referred to a fantasy of ‘squashing’ [Schedule A: 7-16, 21, 28, 29] vi. requested secrecy and/or suppression of information [Schedule A: 19, 27, 38] b. In or around July 2016, by arranging for and allowing Pupil A [REDACTED] c. In or around July 2016, by offering Pupil A beer from the staffroom fridge. 2. He failed to maintain appropriate professional boundaries towards Pupil B; a. by asking her to accompany you to the Ha Ha to ‘[REDACTED]’ as a sound effect for a film. b. by sending messages by social media and/or by text: i. On or around 2 October 2019, “Come n be an alumni [REDACTED] [sic] at some point. He hee”. ii. On or around 2 October 2019, “just been for a costume fitting today…have to wear a big fuck off moustache… look like a Victorian porn star”. iii. On or around 1 Dec 2019, “After seein the pic u shared in FB, gonna adapt my TA film so that the snail is a radical suicide snail, and u stomp it!” 5 iv. On or around 2 November 2019, posting or sharing a photograph of two pairs of naked legs on a bed; v. On or around 2 November 2019, “Uni, shmuni…can be a waste of cunting time”. vi. On or around 2 November 2019, “I am currently stayin in St Francis house on my own as a caretaker… You n [Pupil name] should come down for a ghost hunting sesh one nitr [sic]” and “Not too bad after a few shots of voddy… Will try to organise a party of ex students n staff. Mebbe combine it with u doing some [REDACTED]. 3. He failed to maintain appropriate professional boundaries towards Pupil C, by sending messages on social media and/or by text: a. On or around 16 March 2015, a photograph of him pouting accompanied by “here ya go… a little memento.. don’t go flickin ur bean over it”. b. On or around 23 March 2015, “I just wanted to say a few things regarding your performance… I have loved the whole rehearsal process… what I am [now] really missing about the show is working with you, as I think I fell a little bit in love with the LV that you created. I have never experienced this in all my time directing at school… I love what you did and its sometimes hard to separate the actress from the role… I am saying this on FB as I would find it hard to say to you in school… T.x” c. On or around 7 February 2018, asking Pupil B to [REDACTED]for an animated logo and commenting “Be cool having some top totty in the logo” and “Could u squish a real one if need be?”. d. On or around 7 February 2018, referring to Pupil B as “pussy”. e. On or around 12 February 2018, “Told me TA class that an ex Tring, top totty superstar may be in their film as a [REDACTED]”. 4. He failed to maintain appropriate professional boundaries towards one or more pupils, by commenting on their Instagram posts. 5. His conduct as may be found proven at Allegations 1 – 3 was sexually motivated. Mr Cooke admitted both the facts of the allegations and that they constituted unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute. Preliminary applications The panel noted that there were typographical errors within the notice of meeting as regards the period of time stated in the stem of the allegation and the reference to an incorrect pupil in allegation 3c and 3d . The panel decide to amend the allegations to correct these errors. The panel was satisfied that the corrections did not change the 6 nature, scope or seriousness of the allegations, and there was no prospect of Mr Cooke’s case being presented differently had the amendment been made at an earlier stage. The panel noted that Mr Cooke had accepted within the statement of agreed facts that the allegations were intended to relate to the period in which Mr Cooke taught at the School, from 3 September 2007. The panel also noted that, within the statement of agreed facts, Mr Cooke understood allegation 3 to relate to his communications with Pupil C. There was therefore no unfairness or prejudice caused to Mr Cooke. The panel therefore decided to amend the stem of the allegation to read: “Whilst employed as a teacher of drama at the Tring School of Performing Arts between 3 September 2007 and 7 May 2021.” The panel also decided to amend allegation 3c to read: “On or around 7 February 2018, asking Pupil C to [REDACTED] for an animated logo and commenting “Be cool having some top totty in the logo” and “Could u squish a real one if need be?”.” The panel also decided to amend allegation 3d to read: “On or around 7 February 2018, referring to Pupil C as “pussy”.” Summary of evidence Documents In advance of the meeting, the panel received a bundle of documents which included: Section 1: Notice of referral and response – pages 5 to 21 Section 2: Statement of agreed facts and presenting officer representations – pages 22 to 148 Section 3: Teaching Regulation Agency documents – pages 149 to 209 Section 4: Teacher documents – pages 210 to 214. The panel members confirmed that they had read all of the documents within the bundle, in advance of the meeting. Statement of agreed facts The panel considered a statement of agreed facts which was signed by Mr Cooke on 15 July 2022. 7 Decision and reasons The panel announced its decision and reasons as follows: The panel carefully considered the case and reached a decision. In advance of the meeting, the TRA agreed to a request from Mr Cooke for the allegations to be considered without a hearing. The panel had the ability to direct that the case be considered at a hearing if required in the interests of justice or in the public interest. The panel did not determine that such a direction was necessary or appropriate in this case. Mr Cooke was employed as a drama teacher and pastoral liaison officer at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts (“the School”) between 3 September 2007 and 7 May 2021. Mr Cooke taught vocational drama classes. This work included teaching text, acting technique and theory. Mr Cooke regularly assessed pupils’ work, and prepared reports of pupils’ progress. This work was unsupervised. Findings of fact The findings of fact are as follows: The panel found the following particulars of the allegations against you proved, for these reasons: Whilst employed as a teacher of drama at the Tring School of Performing Arts between 3 September 2007 and 7 May 2021: 1. You failed to maintain appropriate professional boundaries towards Pupil A: a. By sending messages and/or images via social media and/or text that: i. used swear words and/or derogatory terms in respect of Pupil A [Schedule A: 2,14,30, 34, 39]. ii were overly informal and/or personal [Schedule A:1, 4, 16, 20, 22, 25, 40] iii referenced alcohol consumption [Schedule A: 3, 5, 17, 23-26, 30, 32, 35-37] iv sought to meet with Pupil A outside his professional context [Schedule A: 6, 11, 13, 18, 24, 26, 31, 33-37, 39] v. referred to a fantasy of ‘squashing’ [Schedule A: 7-16, 21, 28, 29] vi. requested secrecy and/or suppression of information [Schedule A: 19, 27, 38] 8 On 15 February 2022, Mr Cooke responded to the notic