Veteran primary school teacher Clayton John Page pleads guilty to further child grooming charges

A father who taught primary school-aged children for 15 years has confessed to further child grooming charges.

Former school teacher Clayton Page has pleaded guilty to further child grooming charges. Picture: NCA NewsWIRE / Emma Brasier

A primary school teacher and father of four who admitted to sending sexually explicit messages to “a 14-year-old girl” has confessed to further allegations he tried to communicate with a child for sex.

On Wednesday, former primary school teacher Clayton John Page faced the Adelaide Magistrates Court charged with communicating to make a child amenable to sexual activity between May 1 and May 7, 2022.

The veteran teacher, who spent 12 of his 15 year primary school teaching stint at Mark Oliphant College in Adelaide’s north, previously pleaded guilty to an identical charge in October – just a month after he was arrested by the elite Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team.

At the time, court documents released to The Advertiser by the court revealed Page had asked a person he believed to be a “Year 9” girl if she had tried masturbating before, and if he could set her naughty shower homework.

School Teacher Clayton Page has pleaded guilty to child grooming charges. Picture: NCA NewsWIRE / Emma Brasier

Page taught as a teacher for 15 years – 12 of which at Mark Oliphant College – according to his LinkedIn page. Picture: LinkedIn

“I have never chatted with anyone your age,” Page wrote to the “girl”, “so I wasn’t sure what you’d think if I said it turns me on a bit.”

“I have a small confession … hope it doesn’t freak you out. Makes our chatting even naughtier – I’m a teacher.”

However, the “Year 9 girl” he believed he was communicating with was actually a covert police officer.

A week after admitting to having that conversation, Page was rearrested and charged with further child sex crimes.

Mark Oliphant College principal Kerry Williams penned a letter to parents in October informing them of Page’s initial charges, but wrote a second letter a week later revealing he had been rearrested for further alleged offending.

“On October 4, I wrote to inform you that a teacher at our school, Mr Clayton Page, had appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court and entered a plea of guilty to one count of communicate to make child amenable to sexual activity,” Ms Williams wrote.

Letter to parents from Mark Oliphant College regarding the school fight incidents this year. Picture: Facebook

The second letter sent to parents informing them of Page's rearrest. Picture: Supplied

“I regret to inform you that on 6 October, SA Police advised the department that Mr Page had been rearrested and charged with further child sexual offences.

“I understand this is distressing information. I invite you to contact me at the school if you have any concerns about the safety and welfare of your child.”

Appearing via audio visual link from custody, Page was silent as his lawyer Andrew Ey told magistrate Karim Soetratma that his client would be entering a plea to the charge – only speaking when he uttered the word “guilty”.

Page will return to court at a later date.