A teacher who sent £500 to a former pupil and spent around £1,000 on fast food for vulnerable students has been barred from the profession. Roger Towersey, who taught at Ditton Park Academy in Slough, Berkshire, admitted to sending a former pupil multiple payments and social media messages.
The geography teacher also ordered fast food for two other pupils, with whom he spent time alone and was allowed to access the school out-of-hours. In a written statement, Towersey admitted to a Teaching Regulation Agency panel that his actions amounted to 'unacceptable professional conduct' which could bring the profession into 'disrepute'.
Between October 2023 and April 2024, Towersey sent multiple messages to a former pupil via social media, and between March 28 and April 10, 2024, sent her money. In one TikTok message, he told her: '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. He also allowed two other pupils to access the school at weekends, spent time alone with them, and gave them snacks when they reported feeling hungry. Using food delivery apps, he spent around £1,000 on fast food for one or both pupils, 'whom he knew to be vulnerable'.
The panel concluded Towersey's 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'. He 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.
