Former Scotch College teacher Phillip Callen charged with indecent assault of a child

A prestigious Adelaide private school has been embroiled in a scandal around a former teacher who worked at three Adelaide schools and is facing serious charges.

A prestigious Adelaide private school has notified parents that a former teacher has been charged with indecently assaulting a child.

A letter was sent to parents of students at Scotch College on Friday revealing former staff member Phillip Callen had faced court on September 8.

He has been charged with aggravated indecent assault.

Scotch College is at least the third school where parents have been notified about Mr Callen’s charge.

He worked at Scotch College Junior School between 1991 and 2003 and returned as a relief teacher for four days in late 2016.

The letter to parents says the charge does not involve a current or former Scotch College student.

Similar notifications have been sent to parents at Belair Primary School and Goodwood Primary School and Preschool.

A letter was sent to parents at Goodwood Primary School on Thursday. Picture: Supplied

Mr Callen has not worked in Education Department schools since November 15, 2021.

The South Australian Teacher’s Registration Board website shows the registration of Phillip Andrew Gerard Callen was cancelled on June 7, 2022.

Parents at Goodwood Primary School and Preschool, where Mr Callen worked for a total of nine days between 2008 and 2021, were notified of his charge on Thursday.

A letter from Acting Principal Anthea Bartlett said the alleged incident did not involve any students from the school.

The note Belair Primary sent to parents.

Mr Callen also worked at Belair Primary School.

Principal Rob Houston initially wrote to parents there on July 5 to inform them a former teacher, who also worked as a temporary relief teacher, had been charged.

Mr Houston wrote again to parents on Tuesday naming Mr Callen as that teacher.

The current policy on informing school communities of such cases was put in place following a 2013 inquiry by former Supreme Court Justice Bruce Debelle into the handling of an incident at a western-suburbs school.

The Debelle report recommended the Education Department create a policy “to inform a school community at the appropriate time whenever allegations of sexual misconduct are made against any person employed in any capacity at that school, and those allegations raise concerns as to the suitability of that person to work with children”.

Spokeswomen for the Education Department and SA Police both said they could not comment further because the matter was before court.

Mr Callen is next due to appear in court on November 3.

Anyone with information that may assist the police investigation is asked to contact SA Police.