Ban for teacher who told pupils about drunken night

Ban for Teacher Who Shared Personal Details with Students

A head teacher from Somerset has been indefinitely barred from working due to her interactions with students, according to a report by the Teaching Regulation Agency. Natasha Blackmore, 36, who led the design technology department at Westfield Academy, admitted to breaching professional conduct standards during a hearing on 24 March. The panel found she had shared intimate aspects of her private life, including relationships and nights out involving alcohol, with pupils.

Blackmore’s actions included displaying messages where she described someone in a negative light and recounting her own social activities, such as smoking and vaping, during a hen night. The report highlights that as many as five students regularly visited her during breaks and lunch periods, with one pupil claiming she viewed them as friends rather than students. Conversations reportedly covered topics like their day, behavior, family life, and personal conflicts, according to the panel’s findings.

“If it hadn’t been for those students and the support they showed me after I lost [REDACTED], I don’t think I would have come back to work properly due to the way I was feeling,” Blackmore said.

During an internal investigation, one student described how the teacher had invited them to meet her dog during school holidays. The group was told about her “drunken night” and “vaping and smoking” on the occasion. The student later noted that the relationship had evolved into something more personal, stating: “It developed into some kind of weird relationship where we told each other everything.”

Blackmore admitted to joining a pupil’s Instagram group chat and arranging a meeting with them at Yeovil Recreational Centre. The panel concluded that these actions violated the staff code of conduct. A parent, however, defended her, saying she “had been a really good teacher” and had never felt anything was being done behind her back.

The panel determined that Blackmore’s conduct fell significantly below the professional standards expected. As a result, she faces an indefinite ban, though she may request a review after two years. Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X for updates. Submit story ideas via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630.