Teacher banned after declaring his love for pupil

A teacher at a boarding school in East Sussex has been banned from teaching indefinitely after repeatedly declaring his love for a pupil.

A disciplinary panel found that Benjamin Phelps, 31, committed serious misconduct through his relationship with a student at Bede's School, near Hailsham.

Phelps met with the pupil outside lessons, hugged them, kissed them on the cheek, sent them inappropriate messages and requested they skip school to "eat in the car" together, the panel said.

Bede's School said the care and safety of its pupils remained its "highest priority" and that Phelps's actions did not reflect "the high professional standards we hold dear".

At the time, Phelps was a deputy boarding housemaster, tutor and performing arts technician at the senior school for students aged 13 to 18.

He was sacked in April 2024 following an investigation. The Teaching Regulation Agency struck him off earlier this year and published its report on the matter on Friday.

'Saddened by the distress'

One WhatsApp message Phelps sent said: "I hope you've had a good night, I'm falling asleep with my phone in my hand. I love you and wish you sweet dream!! Contact me about anything xxxxxx."

Another said: "A hot feeling went through me, from front to back, I shook slightly (bit weird but true), then I had this warm glow and I can't stop staring at it.

"I feel love, like pure love at a level I'm not sure I've felt before. This one feels special. (I'm so sorry for this but you want the truth) it properly turned me on."

Another added: "I feel like there is not a single other thought in my brain, not one other than you."

Their relationship "came to a head" when the student attempted to kiss Phelps in February 2024, the panel said.

It found that the teacher did not reciprocate the kiss and attempted to return their relationship to "a more professional footing".

However, he did not report the kiss and accepted to the tribunal that there had been kisses on the cheek on occasion.

An allegation that he pursued a "course of conduct akin to grooming" was not proved.

A Bede's School spokesperson said: "We are deeply saddened by the distress this situation has caused.

"The care and safety of our pupils remain our highest priority, and we share our community's profound distress regarding the actions of this individual that do not reflect the high professional standards we hold dear.

"In response to the incident, the trust commissioned an independent review of safeguarding practices.

"The review concluded that the school's policies, procedures and practice are robust and that there were no foreseeable risks or compliance breaches within the school's systems that contributed to this case."