Former Swindon teacher banned indefinitely after relationship with pupil

A teaching panel banned Mark Fletcher indefinitely after finding serious misconduct involving a pupil at Ridgeway School and Sixth Form College in Swindon.

In 2019, while the pupil was still at school, Fletcher sent her personal emails and drove to her home late at night to meet her.

The panel found that he crossed professional boundaries and later developed a sexual relationship with her, after she had left the school.

The sexual relationship began in December 2019, according to the panel’s findings.

Fletcher disputed the allegations, and police took no further action after investigating.

The ban means he cannot teach in schools, sixth form colleges or certain other settings involving children in England, with no right to apply to have it lifted.

The school said it acted when the allegations were disclosed in 2023 and would continue working with local authorities on safeguarding.