Mr Ian Edward Shilling

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 Ian Edward Shilling

Teacher reference number: 0635619

Teacher's date of birth: 8 June 1984

Location teacher worked: Maidenhead, South East of England

Date of professional conduct panel: 1 December 2025 to 10 December 2025

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 Ian Edward Shilling, formerly employed in Maidenhead, South East of England.

Mr Ian Shilling: Professional conduct panel outcome Panel decision and reasons on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education December 2025 2 Contents Introduction 3 Allegations 4 Summary of evidence 7 Documents 7 Witnesses 7 Decision and reasons 8 Findings of fact 9 Panel’s recommendation to the Secretary of State 46 Decision and reasons on behalf of the Secretary of State 51 3 Professional conduct panel decision and recommendations, and decision on behalf of the Secretary of State Teacher: Mr Ian Edward Shilling Teacher ref number: 06/35619 Teacher date of birth: 8 June 1984 TRA reference: 19384 Date of determination: 10 December 2025 Former employer: Newlands Girl’s’ School, Berkshire (the “School”) Introduction A professional conduct panel (“the panel”) of the Teaching Regulation Agency (“the TRA”) convened on 1 to 10 December 2025 by way of a virtual hearing, to consider the case of Mr Shilling. The panel members were Mrs Julie Wells (teacher panellist – in the chair), Mrs Shabana Robertson (lay panellist) and Mrs Alexandra Burton (lay panellist). The legal adviser to the panel was Miss Elizabeth Gilbert of Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP solicitors. The presenting officer for the TRA was Mrs Kiera Riddy of Browne Jacobson LLP solicitors. Mr Shilling was not present and was not represented. The hearing took place in public, save for parts which were in private, and was recorded. 4 Allegations The panel considered the allegations set out in the notice of proceedings dated 1 September 2025. It was alleged that Mr Shilling was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and/or conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute, in that whilst employed as the Head of Music at Newlands Girls’ School between September 2012 and 31 October 2020: 1. Mr Shilling failed to maintain appropriate professional boundaries with one or more pupils, by: a) Having one to one interactions with Pupil A and/or walking Pupil A back to her room alone on one or more occasions whilst on a residential trip in or around July 2019; b) Engaging in inappropriate physical contact with one or more pupils, in that: i) On or around 22 July 2019, he put his hands on Pupil A’s hips in the swimming pool; ii) On or around July 2019 he was in physical contact with Pupil A on a coach; iii) In or around 2019-2020, he put his hand on the bottom of Pupil C; c) Engaging in inappropriate discussions in person and/or on social media and/or via text messaging and/or via email with one or more pupils and/or former pupils, by: (i) Having conversations using sexual language and/or sexual remarks with Pupil A; (ii) Describing Pupil C as having “the hottest, sexiest body in the world” or using words to that effect; (iii) Stating to Pupil C that “it is clear why men are turned on and driven wild by your looks. This one included” or using words to that effect; (iv) Discussing aspects of his personal and/or sexual life; (v) Sending messages containing kisses; (vi) Sending messages containing hearts; (vii) Sending messages containing emojis d) Sending inappropriate and/or sexual letters and/or cards to one or more pupils and/or former pupils 5 e) Sending inappropriate images and/or images of sexual connotation to one or more pupils and/or ex-pupils including: (i) Sending imagery (“gifs”) and/or photos of a penis and/or depiction of a penis to one or more pupils; (ii) Sending photos of himself showing his bottom and/or penis to one or more pupils; (iii) Sending photos of himself showing his chest; (iv) Sending photos of himself wearing only underwear and/ or holding a French baguette in front of his underwear; (v) An image of his tongue poking out; (vi) Images and/or pseudo-images of females in a state of undress; (vii) Photograph and or pseudo-photograph of his leg and or legs f) Encouraging one or more pupils and/or former pupils to send him photos of themselves without clothing g) Screenshotting photographs of pupils on one or more occasions; h) Being alone in a vehicle with one or more pupils on one or more occasions; i) Having contact with one or more pupils; (i) Outside of school hours; (ii) via social media and/or text message; j) Giving gifts to one or more pupils and/or one or more former pupils including one or more gifts as detailed in Schedule A; k) Engaging in inappropriate behaviour by making and/or using sexual innuendos and/or sexual imagery in class and/or on a class worksheet. l) Instructing one or more pupils not to tell anyone and/or show anyone about the messages and or photos and/or gifts they were receiving from him; 2. Failed to follow a management warning and/ or instructions and/ or demonstrate insight into previous concerns reported in respect of his conduct towards pupils, in particular, his conduct at allegation 1.a to 1.l continued after: a) Concerns were raised by one or more staff members 6 b) He was spoken to on or around 12 July 2019 and/or 22 July 2019 due to concerns with blurring of boundaries and/or physical contact and/or perception of others c) He was spoken to during the conversation in July 2019 above about use of mobile phones and having contact details for students 3. Mr Shilling’s behaviour as may be found proven at allegation 1 above was conduct of a sexual nature and/or was sexually motivated. 4. Mr Shilling’s conduct as may be found proven at allegation 1.l was dishonest and/or lacked integrity. Schedule A i) Food ii) Chocolates iii) Coffee and/or tea iv) Placemats v) Spoon vi) Everlasting rose and/or glass rose vii) Flowers viii) Vase ix) Earrings x) Towel with words to the effect of “to dry you out of your usual wet state” xi) Bottle openers and/or penis shaped bottle openers and/or penis shaped wine stopper xii) Penis shaped pastas xiii) A thong and/or underwear with words to the effect of “kiss me under the mistletoe” xiv) Underwear xv) Photo frame with pictures of one or more pupil xvi) A ruler with words to the effect of “6 inches is [a pupil’s] ideal length” and/or “to make sure those skirts aren’t too long” 7 xvii) Glow in the dark condoms and/or condoms xviii) Champagne xix) Wine xx) Personalised wine glass and/or wine glass xxi) Lord of the Ring’s candle holder and/or a candle holder xxii) Lingerie and/or lingerie style nurse’s outfit xxiii) Theatre tickets xxiv) Door sign with words to the effect of “do not enter, frantic fingering and talented tonguing in progress” xxv) Wooden recorder and/or wind instrument with words to the effect of “blow and tug gently” xxvi) Harry Potter bookmarks xxvii) Stationary xxviii) Tea towels xxix) T-shirts xxx) Puppets accompanied with a letter stating words to the effect of “some [Pupil A] puppets that can be regularly fingered at your leisure and convenience – 1 on the thumb and 1 on the fourth finger maybe” xxxi) Jewellery Mr Shilling admitted allegations 1(d), 1(e), 1(g), 1(i), 1(j), 1(k), 1(l), 2 and 4 in full. Mr Shilling admitted allegations 1(a), 1(c), 1(h) and 3 in part. Mr Shilling denied allegations 1(b) and 1(f). Mr Shilling accepted that his admitted conduct constituted unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute. Summary of evidence Documents In advance of the hearing, the panel received a bundle of documents which included: 8 Section 1: Chronology and anonymised pupil list – pages 7 to 44 Section 2: TRA witness statements – pages 46 to 207 Section 3: TRA documents – pages 210 to 495 Section 4: Teacher documents – pages 497 to 539 The panel also received an updated anonymised pupil list, and copies of emails between Mr Shilling, the TRA and the presenting officer’s firm which were relevant to the presenting officer’s application to proceed in Mr Shilling’s absence. The panel members confirmed that they had read all of the documents within the bundle, in advance of the hearing. In the consideration of this case, the panel had regard to the document Teacher misconduct: Disciplinary procedures for the teaching profession 2020 (the “Procedures”). Witnesses The panel heard oral evidence from the following witnesses called by the presenting officer:  Pupil A (former pupil at the School)  Pupil C (former pupil at the School)  Pupil D (former pupil at the School)  Pupil E (former pupil at the School)  Witness A [REDACTED]  Witness B [REDACTED]  Witness C [REDACTED] The panel did not hear oral evidence from Mr Shilling as he was not in attendance. Decision and reasons The panel announced its decision and reasons as follows: The panel carefully considered the case before it and reached a decision. Mr Shilling was employed as the Head of Music at the School between 1 September 2012 and 31 October 2020. 9 Mr Shilling was referred to the TRA on 29 October 2020. Mr Shilling signed a Statement of Agreed and Disputed Facts on 11 November 2025. 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: 1. You failed to maintain appropriate professional boundaries with one or more pupils, by: a) Having one to one interactions with Pupil A and/or walking Pupil A back to her room alone on one or more occasions whilst on a residential trip in or around July 2019; In the Statement of Agreed and Disputed Facts, Mr Shilling admitted to having one to one interactions with Pupil A and walking Pupil A back to her room alone on one or more occasions whilst on a residential trip in or around July 2019. Mr Shilling denied that he failed to maintain appropriate professional boundaries with one or more pupils by way of his behaviour at allegation 1(a). In a written statement dated 18 September 2023, Mr Shilling stated that during a School trip to [REDACTED] in 2019, he was “sitting with other