Milton Keynes teacher banned from classroom for manhandling pupil

A former Milton Keynes teacher who manhandled a pupil and later accepted a police caution for his behaviour has been banned from the country’s classrooms.

However, the way has been left for Mr Bhavik Solanki, 33, to seek to have the ban lifted after two years.

The ban, comes after the decision of a Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) disciplinary panel, that he was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct.

The incident with the pupil at Langland Community School happened in March last year (2022) after the pupil had not gone into a class room after being told to. The TRA findings say that Mr Solanki had told the boy to go into the classroom and had put a five minute timer on a table where the boy was.

Then, when he hadn’t gone into the classroom after the five minutes was up Mr Solanki was said to have grabbed or held the pupil by his jumper, writs or arm and pulled him.

Mr Solanki admitted using inappropriate and / or unnecessary force with the boy and that his actions had caused distress to the boy and made him cry.

The TRA panel in their findings said they were satisfied that the conduct of Mr Solanki fell significantly short of the standards expected of the teaching profession and in the light of their findings they considered it both proportionate and appropriate to ban him from teaching. But they recommended that the way should be left open for him to seek to have the ban lifted after two years.

Agreeing with them and imposing the ban, TRA decision maker, Sarah Buxcey, said: “The findings of misconduct are serious as they include using inappropriate/unnecessary force with a student.”

She continued: “I agree with the panel and have decided a two year review period is proportionate and in the public interest.”

However, she made it clear that if Mr Solanki does seek to have the ban lifted after two years he will have to convince another disciplinary panel that he is fit to return to teaching.