Mr Joshua Larcombe

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 Joshua Larcombe

Teacher reference number: 1062031

Teacher's date of birth: 20 February 1988

Location teacher worked: Devon, south west England

Date of professional conduct panel: 03 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 Joshua Larcombe, formerly employed in Devon, south west England.

Teacher misconduct

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

Mr Joshua Larcombe: 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 4 Summary of evidence 4 Documents 4 Statement of agreed facts 5 Decision and reasons 5 Findings of fact 6 Panel’s recommendation to the Secretary of State 9 Decision and reasons on behalf of the Secretary of State 12 3 Professional conduct panel decision and recommendations, and decision on behalf of the Secretary of State Teacher: Mr Joshua Larcombe Teacher ref number: 1062031 Teacher date of birth: 20 February 1988 TRA reference: 18209 Date of determination: 3 October 2022 Former employer: Devonport High School for Girls, Devon Introduction A professional conduct panel (‘the panel’) of the Teaching Regulation Agency (‘the TRA’) convened on 3 October 2022 by way of a virtual meeting, to consider the case of Mr Joshua Larcombe. The panel members were Mr Martyn Stephens (lay panellist – in the chair), Ms Bernie Whittle (teacher panellist) and Ms Bev Williams (teacher panellist). The legal adviser to the panel was Ms Olivia Toulson of Birketts 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 Larcombe that the allegations be considered without a hearing. Mr Larcombe provided a signed statement of agreed facts and admitted conviction of a relevant offence. The panel considered the case at a meeting without the attendance of the presenting officer, Ms Laura Hoiles of Capsticks Solicitors LLP, Mr Larcombe or any representative for Mr Larcombe. The meeting took place in private by way of a virtual meeting. 4 Allegations The panel considered the allegations set out in the notice of meeting dated 7 September 2022. It was alleged that Mr Larcombe was guilty of having been convicted of a relevant offence, in that 1. On 20 August 2021 at Plymouth Crown Court, he was convicted of: a) voyeurism; b) causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity by a person in a position of trust; and c) 3 counts of making indecent photographs of a child. Mr Larcombe admitted the facts of allegations 1(a) to 1(c) and that his behaviour amounted to a conviction of a relevant offence falling short of the standards of behaviour expected of a teacher, as set out in the response to the notice of referral dated 3 March 2022 and in the statement of agreed facts signed by Mr Larcombe on 21 April 2022. Preliminary applications There were no preliminary applications. The panel noted that since the date of the referral to the TRA in this case, new ‘Teacher misconduct: Disciplinary procedures for the teaching profession’ were published in May 2020 (the ‘May 2020 Procedures’). The panel understands that the earlier provisions contained within the ‘Teacher misconduct: disciplinary procedures for the teaching profession’ updated in April 2018 (the ‘April 2018 Procedures’) apply to this case, given that those provisions applied when the referral was made. Although the panel has the power to direct that the May 2020 Procedures should apply in the interests of justice or the public interest, the panel had received no representations that this should be the case. For the avoidance of doubt, therefore, the panel confirms that it has applied the April 2018 Procedures in this case. Summary of evidence Documents In advance of the meeting, the panel received a bundle of documents which included: • Section 1: Chronology, identification key and list of key people – pages 1 to 6 5 • Section 2: Notice of referral, response and notice of meeting – pages 7 to 23 • Section 3: Statement of agreed facts and presenting officer representations – pages 25 to 28 • Section 4: Teaching Regulation Agency documents – pages 29 to 265 • Section 5: Teacher documents – pages 266 to 270 • Section 6: Other material – none provided 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 Larcombe on 21 April 2022. Decision and reasons The panel carefully considered the case and reached the following decision and reasons: In advance of the meeting, the TRA agreed to a request from Mr Larcombe 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 Larcombe commenced his role as a teacher of science at Devonport High School for Girls (‘the School’) on 1 September 2016. The School were contacted by the parent of Pupil X on 25 February 2019, raising concerns regarding Mr Larcombe’s conduct towards Pupil X. On 28 February 2019, Mr Larcombe was arrested by the police in relation to the offences of “2x cause/incite sexual activity with female 13-17 offender 18 or over abuse of position of trust (S17 Sexual Offences Act 2003)”. On 4 March 2019, the police notified the TRA of Mr Larcombe’s arrest and the police investigation. The School concluded their internal disciplinary investigation on 22 May 2019. Mr Larcombe resigned from his position at the School on 28 May 2019. The School referred the matter to the TRA on 18 July 2019. 6 Mr Larcombe was convicted at Plymouth Crown Court on 20 August 2021. He was convicted of “voyeurism, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity by a person in a position of trust and 3 counts of making indecent photographs of a child”. In relation to the offence of “voyeurism”, Mr Larcombe took images of a [REDACTED] the victim of the offence, whilst she was showering without her knowledge or consent. He retained these images for a significant period of time. In relation to the offence of “causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity by a person in a position of trust and 3 counts of making indecent photographs of a child” Mr Larcombe was convicted of three counts of making an indecent photograph or pseudo- photograph of children, contrary to the Protection of Children Act 1978 s1(a), and causing or inciting sexual activity with a female aged 13-17 offender being 18 or over and in an abuse of a position of trust, contrary to the Sexual Offences Act 2003 s17(1)(e )(i). Pupil X was 17 years old at the time Mr Larcombe began a period of online communication, between around 26 December 2018 to 28 February 2019, which became sexual in nature. Mr Larcombe incited Pupil X to expose her breasts to him and he also exposed his penis to Pupil X and retained images of the same. 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. On 20 August 2021 at Plymouth Crown Court, you were convicted of: a) voyeurism; b) causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity by a person in a position of trust; and c) 3 counts of making indecent photographs of a child. The panel considered the statement of agreed facts signed by Mr Larcombe on 21 April 2022. In that statement of agreed facts, Mr Larcombe admitted the particulars of allegations 1(a), 1(b) and 1(c). Further, it was admitted that the facts of the allegations amounted to a conviction of a relevant offence. The panel noted page 8 of the Teacher misconduct: The prohibition of teachers (‘the Advice’) which states that where there has been a conviction at any time, of a criminal offence, the panel will accept the certificate of conviction as conclusive proof of both the conviction and the facts necessarily implied by the conviction, unless exceptional 7 circumstances apply. The panel did not find that any exceptional circumstances applied in this case. The panel had been provided with a copy of the certificate of conviction from Plymouth Crown Court, which detailed that Mr Larcombe had been convicted of voyeurism, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity by a person in a position of trust and 3 counts of making indecent photographs of a child. In respect of the allegations, Mr Larcombe was sentenced at Plymouth Crown Court to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, with 300 hours unpaid work and was placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years. On examination of the documents before the panel, the panel was satisfied that the facts of allegations 1(a), 1(b) and 1(c) were proven. Findings as to conviction of a relevant offence Having found a number of the allegations proved, the panel went on to consider whether the facts of those proved allegations amounted to conviction of a relevant offence. In doing so, the panel had regard to the Advice. The panel was satisfied that the conduct of Mr Larcombe, in relation to the facts it found proved, involved breaches of the Teachers’ Standards. The panel considered that by reference to Part 2, Mr Larcombe was in breach of the following standards: • Teachers uphold public trust in the profession and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school, by o Treating pupils with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all times observing proper boundaries appropriate to a teacher’s professional position o having regard for the need to safeguard pupils’ well-being, in accordance with statutory provisions o showing tolerance of and respect for the rights of others • Teachers must have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school in which they teach, and maintain high standards in their own attendance and punctuality. • Teachers must have an