Benjamin Phelps, 31, a former deputy boarding housemaster and tutor at Bede’s School in Eastbourne has received a crushing blow. He’s now prevented from teaching forever, after an investigation into an inappropriate relationship with a different student. The sexual relationship allegedly continued between the student’s ages of 13 to 18. It contained quite a few of those disturbing exchanges and posts that shocked school leaders.
Phelps had been a performing arts technician at the school. By hugging the student and kissing them on the cheek, he broke district policy and acted inappropriately. He reportedly arranged to meet up with the student outside of class, which crossed yet another line into an inappropriate and unacceptable relationship. According to reports, here’s what Phelps sent in a long string of WhatsApp messages. He shared his deep emotional sentiments that went beyond the teacher–pupil dynamic.
One message read, “I hope you’ve had a good night, I’m falling asleep with my phone in my hand. I love you and wish you sweet dreams!! Contact me about anything xxxxxx.” Another message conveyed his singular focus on the student: “I feel like there is not a single other thought in my brain, not one other than you.”
Things came to a head when the pupil tried to force Phelps to kiss him in February 2024. After this event, the school began an investigation, which resulted in Phelps’s termination in April 2024. School officials said that this kind of behavior has no place in a school setting.
Phelps’s predatory behavior didn’t end with messaging. He allegedly told the student to leave school early so they could “lunch in the car” together. This request directly illustrates a creepy line between teacher and student. The school’s investigation highlighted the seriousness of Phelps’s misconduct, leading to his permanent ban from teaching.
