Crosby private school teacher who kissed pupil spared ban Published duration 9 May 2019

image copyright Chris Martyn/Geograph image caption Rachel Clint was dismissed from Merchant Taylors' in Crosby, Merseyside

A teacher who sat on a pupil's knee on a train and "spontaneously" kissed him after drinking alcohol has been sacked but can continue teaching.

Rachel Clint, who was head of geography at Merchant Taylors' School in Merseyside, was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct.

The kiss took place on a train after a Year 13 leavers event on 19 May 2017 while other pupils filmed it.

She will be not be banned because the incident was "isolated", a panel ruled.

Ms Clint was dismissed by the school following an internal disciplinary hearing in April 2018.

'No flirtatious behaviour'

The latest hearing was told Miss Clint had "consumed alcohol on an empty stomach" on the night she kissed the 18-year-old student, referred to as Pupil A.

The teacher said: "There was a brief kiss which was spontaneous and was a surprise to me".

Pupil A had agreed that it happened "spontaneously and inexplicably", the hearing was told.

The Teaching Regulation Agency panel also saw photographic evidence of the kiss.

It noted there had been "no flirtatious or premeditated behaviour" but Ms Clint's behaviour "amounted to misconduct which fell short of the standards expected of the profession".

The incident, which happened "on a busy train in close proximately to other students" would have a "negative impact on Miss Rachel Clint's status as a teacher", the panel found.

'Personal problems'

Ms Clint failed to report the incident to the school, "demonstrating a lack of integrity", the report said.

However, the panel noted a range of mitigating circumstances.

She had been "suffering from problems in her personal life", was "under pressure and overworked" and had indicated her "deep regret".

Ms Clint stated: "I accept full responsibility for my actions, but I hope this isolated and out of character incident, and my lack of reporting, does not deny me a future in the profession.

"Teaching is my vocation. It is my identity".

Based in Crosby, Merchant Tayors' is a private school for boys, which charges fees of £11,735 per year.

The school describes itself as aiming to create "well-rounded and caring young men who will play a significant role in society".

Chair of governors Beverley Bell said: "As the [panel's] report confirms, the school was not immediately made aware of the incident involving Rachel Clint on 19 May 2017.

"As soon as the school became aware, Rachel Clint was immediately withdrawn from her duties and suspended pending a full investigation. The matter was also referred to the local safeguarding officer, the police and the Teaching Regulation Agency.

"She was dismissed following a disciplinary hearing when it became clear that her conduct had fallen far below the standards that we require from our teachers.

"Safeguarding of our pupils is of the utmost importance at Merchant Taylors'."