Overview
- Acting on behalf of the secretary of state, the Teaching Regulation Agency imposed an indefinite prohibition on Benjamin Guilfoyle, barring him from teaching or working in relevant education and care settings in England.
- The panel found he inappropriately restrained a pupil during a July 2022 classroom song activity, continuing to hold the child’s hands as the pupil tried to pull away.
- Witness evidence described shouting, a distressed pupil retreating to a corner, and a red‑purple mark about 2cm long on the back of the child’s hand.
- The panel said he ignored the pupil’s positive behaviour support plan, failed to summon teaching assistants, had not read required safeguarding materials, and returned to the classroom against the headteacher’s instruction.
- Decision makers cited safeguarding risks, limited insight despite expressed remorse, and the need to maintain public confidence as reasons for an immediate, indefinite ban, with a review possible in two years.