A headteacher at a Catholic primary school in Kensington faces a lifetime teaching ban after misusing the school’s credit card for over £56,000 in personal and questionable purchases between 2020 and 2023.
Unauthorized Expenditures Uncovered
Christopher McPhilemy, 47, who led Our Lady of Victories RC Primary School in Kensington and Chelsea since September 2016, racked up £56,196 on the school’s Barclays card. This included £16,758 on supplies from retailers like Amazon, eBay, Sainsbury’s, and Argos, covering educational materials, IT equipment, art resources, household items, and electronic devices.
Separately, £4,612 went toward Oyster card top-ups and rail travel from June 2020 to July 2023. Officials noted nearly £5,000 total on train fares and Tube journeys. Only £29,317 of the spending had supporting statements, leaving £26,879 without any audit trail.
Lack of Financial Oversight
McPhilemy assumed financial duties after the bursar’s redundancy early in his tenure. The card operated on direct debit, clearing monthly payments without requiring receipts. He submitted annotated screenshots from his personal Amazon account to distinguish personal from professional buys, though the school reported never receiving these.
Some transactions appeared as ‘mistake purchases’ due to oversight. McPhilemy linked the card mistakenly to his Apple Pay, leading to personal rail ticket buys. He reimbursed £9,870 overall, including £4,612 for travel and £5,257 for other personal items in October 2023, plus an earlier £10,000 transfer.
In December 2020, he received £1,200 in travel expenses after a season ticket request failed. When questioned, McPhilemy admitted: ‘There was no procedure in place and I accept that there should have been. I agree that there was no system for keeping records.’
He insisted all charges served legitimate school needs but acknowledged failing to establish proper accounting. He referenced the prior headteacher’s Addison Lee card as precedent, accepting such perks in good faith.
Suspension, Dismissal, and Ban
Staff concerns prompted a July 2023 letter to governors, leading to McPhilemy’s suspension amid a probe. Police involvement spurred further repayments. He was dismissed in November 2023, with governors referring the case to the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA).
The investigation also revealed lapses in safeguarding records and staff documentation. Despite colleagues praising him as ‘exceptionally kind, patient and emotionally present’ and ‘deeply principled,’ the TRA imposed an indefinite ban.
TRA’s Rationale
TRA leader David Oatley stated: ‘The panel found proven that Mr McPhilemy, during a period of approaching two years, dishonestly and with a lack of integrity had charged personal expenses to his school credit card and made no attempts to reconcile or reimburse any such payment.’
Oatley emphasized the conduct’s ties to professional duties, its seriousness, and the need to uphold public confidence. ‘Public funds being dishonestly misused… [is] wholly unacceptable,’ he added.
The Ofsted-rated ‘Good’ school closed and converted to academy status in April 2025.
