A maths teacher who fabricated a story about being shot in a war zone and sent thousands of inappropriate messages to pupils has been banned from the classroom indefinitely. Alexandra Slay, who taught at Epsom and Ewell High School in Surrey from December 2016 until her resignation in November 2023, misled students by claiming she served in the Australian army.
Fabricated narratives and inappropriate communications
Following her resignation, a disciplinary hearing was convened due to concerns about her communications with pupils. The Teaching Regulation Agency subsequently held a professional conduct panel, which found that Ms Slay had sent thousands of emails to students between 2020 and 2023 and had provided them with her personal phone number. One email stated: “I am actually going to do this – even though it is slightly different. I am going to give you my digits – you can get it from retriever. As I am getting tired of emailing…”
In addition to emails, Ms Slay sent handwritten letters to pupils, which the panel deemed deeply inappropriate and unprofessional. She instructed students not to open the letters until a specific time and encouraged them to keep the correspondence secret, using “pinky promises” and urging them to confide in her about personal matters. An email to a pupil in July 2022 read: “You said to be honest/transparent with you with my feelings (especially when I seem like I am sinking). I can’t seem to put my thoughts into an email so I spend sometime writing on the beach. I am trying to be honest so that I don’t unintentionally hurt you by pushing you away (even though even [sic] ounce of me have been trying to come up with excuses to). For your eyes only.”
Fabricated army role and shooting incident
Ms Slay concocted a narrative involving her service in the army, claiming she frequently travelled to war zones, underwent training, and participated in conflicts. A text message to a pupil read: “Hey, just letting you know I have arrived and reached base.” She also sent messages purporting to be from a “Lt. D Blackburn,” which detailed severe injuries she had supposedly sustained. These messages included:
- “Under the advice of my chief and back up plan from Cpt. Slay, I am giving update on Cpt. Slay’s condition … Earlier in the day, Cpt. Slay and several others have been severely wounded. Cpt. Slay sustained two rounds to her abdomen and lost severe amounts of blood … Cpt. Slay has been in surgery to remove two rounds from her abdomen.”
- “Cpt. Slay has woken up and her vitals and temperature have stabilised … As Cpt. Slay is awake. I will be passing her belongings including her phone back to her.”
- “Cpt. Slay left this message for me to pass on to you. ‘If things turn for the worst. Please be proud and know that I have tried by best’.”
- “Cpt. Slay … went into cardiac arrest due to shock to her body. However they have got Cpt. Slay back now, but her pulse is very weak.”
- “Cpt. Slay vitals flatlined at 07:30 this morning however doctors were able to revive her.”
- “I know I shouldn’t be saying this and will probably be reprimanded for it. However, Cpt. Slay wants to stay and finish the operation. However, I ask that where possible, please can you all talk her out of it.”
During her disciplinary interview, Ms Slay admitted the messages were “all fabricated” and explained that she invented the stories to feel a sense of belonging.
Breach of professional boundaries
The panel found that providing pupils with her personal contact details constituted a significant breach of boundaries, enabling her to develop inappropriate relationships with students. It stated: “It allowed her to communicate with these pupils outside of school time, with the content of those messages going beyond that of a teacher-pupil relationship.” One text message asked: “What is intimacy look or feel like to you? (Be careful with this one) …” In another, Ms Slay shared her views on intimacy, writing: “Intimacy for me goes beyond the physical impact (sure that is important), but to me emotional intimacy builds a relationship from strength to strength.”
The panel concluded that Ms Slay’s actions constituted conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute. She has been banned from teaching indefinitely but may apply for the prohibition order to be set aside after 21 April 2028.
