Former Godalming teacher banned after sending sexually explicit photos to colleague
Alastair Grandison cannot apply to have the ban lifted until 2031 at the earliest
A teacher who sent sexually explicit photographs and inappropriate messages to colleagues at a Godalming school has been banned from teaching.
Alastair Grandison worked at St Dominic's School in Godalming, Surrey.
A Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) professional conduct panel found he sent the material to two colleagues in October and November 2022.
The panel found he was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute.
The decision was made on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education by David Oatley on 15th October 2026.
Mr Grandison is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children's home in England.
What the panel found
Mr Grandison started work at the school on 6th June 2022.
The panel found that on 13th October 2022 he sent two messages to a colleague on WhatsApp.
One was sent during school working hours.
The colleague had given him her number only for work purposes and told the panel the messages were unsolicited.
She reported them to her line manager the same day.
The panel heard he was then given an informal warning and told what was expected of his conduct towards colleagues.
On 5th November 2022, the panel found, he sent messages to a second colleague by Instagram.
He also sent up to 13 sexually explicit photographs.
Mr Grandison admitted the facts of the allegations in a response to the TRA dated 18th July 2024.
He also accepted in a statement to the school that the images were unsolicited.
He was suspended on 9th November 2022 and the matter was referred to the TRA on 3rd April 2023.
None of the allegations involved pupils.
The panel said the messages to the second colleague were highly offensive, discriminatory and derogatory towards women.
It also described their content as morally reprehensible.
The panel said his behaviour in sharing the sexually explicit photographs had the hallmarks of the offence of revenge pornography, which means sharing private sexual material of another person without their consent.
It said it had seen no evidence that the person pictured had consented to the images being shared.
The panel said it was not required to decide whether an offence had been committed.
Explanations and remorse
The panel said Mr Grandison gave different reasons for his behaviour over time.
In a statement to the school in December 2022 he said he was new and had been trying too hard to make friends by being funny.
At a school disciplinary hearing in February 2023 he said he had been drinking alcohol while taking anti-depressants.
The panel said it had no medical evidence or other evidence to back that up and was not convinced by his explanations.
Mr Grandison was not present and was not represented at the hearing, which was held virtually and in public.
The panel said he had not provided a mitigation statement to the TRA.
It said an email he sent to the TRA in February 2026 showed a blatant disregard for the regulator and for the importance of the proceedings.
The panel found only limited evidence of genuine remorse or insight into the impact on his colleagues.
It said one colleague described an apology he made as feeling insincere.
What the ban means
Mr Oatley said the lack of full insight and remorse meant there was some risk of the behaviour being repeated.
He said: "In my view, it is necessary to impose a prohibition order in order to maintain public confidence in the profession."
The panel recommended a review period of five years.
It noted that the messages were sent over a relatively short period and that no pupils were harmed or at risk of harm.
Mr Oatley agreed that a five-year review period was needed.
Mr Grandison may apply to have the order set aside, but not until 2031 at the earliest.
The decision says this is not an automatic right to have the order removed.
If he does apply, a panel will meet to consider it.
The order takes effect from the date it is served on him.
He has the right to appeal to the High Court within 28 days of being given notice of the order.