• Young People Safety

  Former teacher struck off after starting relationship with an ex-pupil

  Posted by John Johnson on 9 January 2021 at 2:00 pm

  A former math teacher in the UK has been banned indefinitely from the profession after starting a relationship with one of his former pupils.

  Scott Leavold-Davey taught at Open Academy in Norwich England for almost three-and-a-half years, from September 2015 until his resignation in January 2019.

  During this time, he met and taught a pupil who he would go on to form a relationship with.

  And while there is no evidence the relationship blossomed while she was still attending the academy, having left in July 2018, a panel from the Teaching Regulation Agency has seen fit to prevent him from returning to the profession in the future.

  The panel heard how 30-year-old Mr Leavold-Davey had tendered his resignation on January 14, 2019, to take effect from January 18.

  The day before his final day, the academy received an allegation that he had formed a relationship with a pupil who had left the school in the months prior.

  In a statement to the panel, Mr Leavold-Davey confirmed the pair remain in a relationship and now live together.

  In a report detailing the panel’s decision, Sarah Buxcey of the Department for Education wrote: “With consideration to the fact that Mr Leavold-Davey had, until July 2018, been Pupil B’s teacher, the panel determined that commencing a relationship with her so soon after leaving the academy to be inappropriate.

  “Whilst the panel does not consider all relationships between a teacher and a former pupil to be inappropriate, in circumstances when there is such close proximity between the pupil leaving and the relationship starting, the panel did determine it to be so in this case.”

  She added: “The panel noted that the allegations took place outside the education setting. Nevertheless, the allegation rose from a personal relationship between a teacher and a former pupil, who had left imminently before it commenced, and Mr Leavold-Davey’s conduct is clearly applicable to his role as a teacher.”

  She added that Mr Leavold-Davey “fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession”. The panel made a prohibition order preventing Mr Leavold-Davey from returning to the teaching indefinitely, though he can apply for it to be reviewed in seven years.

  John Johnson replied 3 years, 11 months ago 1 Member · 0 Replies
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