A PE teacher who messaged a female pupil telling her she was 'Premier League' and one of his 'favourite people on the planet' has been barred from teaching indefinitely.
Stuart Smith, 48, was employed at Mayville High School in Portsmouth, Hampshire, where he also served as assistant head of Year 11 and head of house. A misconduct hearing found that he formed an 'emotional personal relationship' with a student and behaved in an 'overfamiliar' manner.
The panel heard that Mr Smith grew 'increasingly close' to the pupil during a school trip and sent numerous WhatsApp messages afterwards. In one message, he wrote: 'So, today I've seen a lot of my favourite people and done some fun things but I would have swapped it all for a cup of milo, a game of spoons and just being silly with you.' In another, he told her she was 'Premier League and one of my favourite people on the planet'.
The panel also found that Mr Smith rubbed and touched the student's thigh during the return journey from the trip, a claim he denied. He was arrested in October 2023 on suspicion of sexual assault but no further action was taken. He resigned from the school in December 2023.
The Teaching Regulation Agency panel concluded that his behaviour 'involved serious and repeated failures to maintain proper professional boundaries' and 'undermined the standards expected of a teacher'. He may apply for the prohibition order to be lifted in 2029.
