South London Teacher Reprimanded for Boundary Breaches
A teacher from South London has been found to have engaged in unacceptable professional conduct after hugging pupils and communicating with them on social media while employed at an international school in Vietnam. Andrew Hardwick, who previously worked as a supply teacher at Belvedere Junior School in Bexley, admitted to the allegations but did not believe his actions were misconduct.
The Vietnam Incidents and School Investigation
Mr Hardwick's conduct came under scrutiny after he disclosed details during a job application in May 2021. While applying for a permanent position at Belvedere, he revealed he had tutored outside school hours and had social media contact with pupils during his previous role at International School Saigon Pearl (ISSP) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
His prospective employer, The Pioneer Academy based in Keston, Bromley, contacted ISSP for clarification. Following this inquiry, the academy withdrew its job offer and terminated Mr Hardwick's supply teacher position in December 2020.
The teacher misconduct panel in October heard that over nearly 11 months, Mr Hardwick communicated via Skype and Discord with a pupil who had graduated from ISSP and moved schools. He claimed the pupil's father had requested the contact, suggesting that in Vietnamese culture, lifelong teacher-pupil relationships were common. Mr Hardwick stated he aimed to provide moral support to boost the pupil's confidence before starting at the new school.
He admitted to hugging this pupil on one occasion when they were visibly upset and had asked for comfort. The panel also heard he hugged two other pupils—one while they were distressed and another at their graduation ceremony with parents present.
Failure to Maintain Professional Distance
Evidence presented to the panel revealed that staff at the Vietnamese school had warned Mr Hardwick about the first pupil being very tactile and overly close. He was advised to maintain professional distancing and report any inappropriate behaviour to protect himself professionally.
During COVID-19 lockdowns, Mr Hardwick used Discord to communicate with his current pupils for approximately six months. He secured the account details of several pupils and created a group chat with nine students, using it to post schoolwork and answer questions.
Mr Hardwick described his motivation as a misguided sense of wanting the pupils to complete as much of their work as possible, concerned they might not check the school's official app. During the ISSP investigation, he also admitted to contacting pupils on Facebook and Skype and could not explain why he had not sought parental consent for these communications.
Panel's Decision and Reprimand
Mr Hardwick acknowledged he had failed to maintain professional boundaries and demonstrated overfamiliar behaviour. He expressed remorse and told the panel he now recognised the importance of setting and maintaining safe communication standards at all times.
The teacher misconduct panel concluded his actions constituted unacceptable professional conduct and that publishing the findings was in the public interest. However, it decided against striking him off the teaching register.
The panel noted that Mr Hardwick showed remorse and insight during his evidence and determined that the nature and severity of his behaviour were at the less serious end of the spectrum. It concluded that publishing the adverse findings would sufficiently highlight the unacceptable standards and meet the public interest requirement.
