PE Teacher, 48, Banned for Storing Inappropriate Photos of Student and Nicknaming Her His 'Premier League'

A SICK 48-year-old PE teacher has been struck off for keeping pictures of a female pupil he called “Premier League” on his phone.

Stuart Smith was banned from teaching indefinitely when a found he had been “overfamiliar” and developed an “emotional personal relationship” with a pupil.

The PE teacher was suspended from Mayville High School in Portsmouth, in 2023 Credit: Google maps

Smith had been a teacher, assistant head of Year 11 and head of house at Mayville High School in , Hampshire.

In October 2023, he was arrested by the on suspicion of sexual assault and suspended from the school.

In December of that year, the police was closed with no further action.

That month, the teacher resigned from Mayville High School – which costs around £18,000 a year for senior students in year seven to year 11.

A hearing has since heard that he developed an “increasingly close” relationship with a pupil after a school trip.

Smith engaged in regular one-to-one conversations with the schoolgirl and exchanged several messages with her.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the misconduct hearing that on the journey home from the school trip Smith “rubbed” and “touched” her thigh with his hands.

She had told the teacher she was going to and he said she could put her legs over him before he allegedly inappropriately touched her.

Smith “categorically” denied the claim but the found it proven.

In one of the messages sent by Smith, he told the girl: “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 of the messages, deemed inappropriate, he told the student she was “Premier League and one of my favourite people on the planet.”

Smith concocted several twisted nicknames for the young pupil, and told her that he was “really proud” of her.

Messages showed him referring to her as the best “hoody stealer”, “bracelet addict”, and “Mona Lisa friend”, among other names.

At his , Smith acknowledged that his messages at times were “too friendly and over familiar.”

He added he: “Thought it was due to spending 16/17 hours a day with someone.”

A written statement from the former PE teacher said he agreed the messages he sent were unprofessional and “blurred the lines between what is acceptable and not.”

It was also found Smith had photographs of the student and had bought her a fabric bracelet.

He was also found to have exchanged personal mobile telephone numbers with one or more pupils.

A found that the teacher’s conduct “involved serious and repeated failures to maintain proper professional boundaries with a pupil and a failure to act in accordance with safeguarding expectations, requirements and responsibilities.”

The report added: “The panel considered that these matters seriously undermined the standards expected of a teacher and he sought to exploit his position of trust.”

Some allegations made against Smith were found not proven.

The 48-year-old has now been prohibited from teaching indefinitely – he can apply for the prohibition order to be set aside but not until 2029.

Smith also has a right of appeal at the .