A teacher has been barred from the profession after sending £500 to a former pupil and spending around £1,000 on fast food for vulnerable students. Roger Towersey, who taught geography at Ditton Park Academy in Slough, Berkshire, admitted to a Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel that his actions amounted to 'unacceptable professional conduct' which could bring the profession into 'disrepute'.
Between October 2023 and April 2024, the 37-year-old sent multiple social media messages to a former pupil, and between March 28 and April 10, 2024, he sent her money. The former pupil said he messaged her just before her 18th birthday, discussing money, college, and shopping. In one TikTok message, Towersey wrote: 'Be careful, they will wonder where all the ££ came from. They will think you’re dealing or doing only fans.' Another read: 'Don’t get anything too nice, I don’t want to be responsible for either of you pulling and accidentally getting pregnant.'
Bank statements showed Towersey sent multiple payments totalling £500. In an internal meeting, he said he knew messaging the pupil was 'beyond (his) remit' but claimed he forgot she was a former student and wanted to check she had someone to talk to. He also admitted sending the money was a 'stupid' thing to do.
The TRA also reviewed evidence that Towersey allowed two other pupils to access the school at weekends, spent time alone with them, and gave them snacks. Using food delivery apps such as Just Eat, he spent around £1,000 on fast food for one or both pupils, 'whom he knew to be vulnerable'. The panel found he failed to report that the children told him they were hungry and cold, a 'significant factor' in the decision to ban him.
In his written statement, Towersey insisted his motivations were 'not nefarious or sinister' and thought his actions had a 'net benefit' to one pupil who was performing better academically. However, the panel concluded his conduct was 'clearly unprofessional' and suggested repeated attempts to 'gain a level of familiarity with pupils which was not appropriate for a teacher-pupil relationship'.
Towersey was banned from teaching indefinitely on March 3 and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England. He is entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach.
