A FORMER Hexham teacher has been banned from working after it emerged he used a school laptop to access sexually explicit websites. The government’s Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) ruled that Peter Drake, who served at Hexham’s Queen Elizabeth High School for 30 years, is prohibited from teaching indefinitely. The science teacher cannot apply for his ban to be lifted for at least four years, a newly-published report by the agency confirmed. The report stated that Mr Drake (57), began working at QEHS in 1989, but in May 2019, the school’s IT systems detected he had been accessing inappropriate websites on his laptop.
A FUND-RAISER and online condolence book have been set up in memory of a much-loved PE teacher who helped pupils to excel on the sports field. Chris Scott died of natural causes on March 2 and was popular with staff and students alike at Queen Elizabeth High School, Hexham. The fund-raiser, set up by the Hadrian Learning Trust, which runs Hexham Middle School and QEHS, has already amassed over £4,000. The trust plans to work with Chris’ family to decide how best to use the money. More than 200 past and present pupils, staff, parents and carers have also signed an online condolence book to share their messages, memories and stories of the passionate teacher with his family.