Teacher struck off after kissing private school student in night club

A trainee teacher has been banned from the profession after he was seen kissing a private school pupil in a nightclub after the annual summer ball.

Jack Valentine had been acting as a chaperone at the annual event at Taunton School in Somerset, on 30 June 2022, when celebrations moved on to a nightclub later in the night.

However, a professional conduct panel heard the PE teacher was seen by another pupil “dancing extremely intimately” with the girl and they kissed on the lips for an “extended period of time”.

The 25-year-old admitted the allegations and was given an indefinite prohibition order.

According to the Teacher Regulatory Authority, the incident happened in the presence of other pupils, staff and parents before the end of term.

Before authorities were alerted to the incident, the trainee teacher was offered employment at Gresham’s School in Holt, Norfolk. However, he resigned after one month, when leaders were told about his actions.

Although the panel heard he had admitted the allegation from the outset and showed “a significant degree of remorse” the teacher had received prior warnings for “breaching boundaries”, which were not in the same circumstances but “suggested that this was not a one-off incident in terms of his professional conduct”.

“While the panel acknowledged Mr. Valentine was young and inexperienced, there was evidence of his safeguarding qualifications meaning he should have been aware of the appropriate boundaries between teachers and pupils,” it added.

The Teacher Regulatory Authority ruled that Mr. Jack Valentine is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England, after it was found that his behaviour was conduct of a sexual nature.

He may apply for the prohibition order to be set aside, but not until 12 August 2026, 2 years from the date of this order at the earliest – and this is not an automatic right to have the prohibition order removed.

The panel concluded that Mr. Valentine was in breach of standards expected to be upheld by teachers, including maintaining high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school, by treating pupils with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all times observing proper boundaries appropriate to a teacher’s professional position.

Further reading

Abuse in schools and education – Oakwood Solicitors

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