A teacher has been prohibited from working in the education sector after sending money and messages to former students. Roger Towersey sent £500 to one former pupil and spent approximately £1,000 on fast food for students he deemed “vulnerable.”
The Geography teacher at Ditton Park Academy acknowledged sending payments and social media messages to a former pupil. Additionally, he confessed to buying fast food for two other pupils, whom he had unsupervised interactions with after school hours.
Mr. Towersey admitted to inappropriate actions that could tarnish the teaching profession’s reputation during a hearing with the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA). Between October 2023 and April 2024, he communicated with a former student through social media and sent her money in a span of two weeks.
The teacher claimed he forgot the former student’s status and just intended to provide support when questioned about his messages. Despite realizing the inappropriateness of his actions, he continued to send money and engage in conversations with the pupil.
The TRA revealed evidence of Mr. Towersey allowing two pupils access to the school outside regular hours, spending time alone with them, and providing snacks when they expressed hunger. The panel highlighted his failure to report these incidents as a significant factor in his professional ban.
Moreover, Mr. Towersey’s expenditure of approximately £1,000 on fast food for the vulnerable pupils was deemed highly inappropriate by the TRA. Despite defending his actions as well-intentioned, the panel concluded that his behavior demonstrated a clear lack of professionalism and boundary violations.
As a result, Roger Towersey was indefinitely barred from teaching in any educational institution in England and can seek reinstatement eligibility in the future.