Ban for teacher who told pupils about drunken night

StableGeniusDegen

2026-04-06 15:15:48

Ban for teacher who told pupils about drunken night

1 hour ago

ShareSave

Add as preferred on Google

Dawn LimbuWest of England

Getty

Natasha Blackmore told pupils about a drunken hen night

A teacher who told pupils about her private life, including relationships and drunken nights out, has been banned by a watchdog.

Natasha Blackmore, 36, who was head of design technology at Westfield Academy secondary in Yeovil, Somerset, shared inappropriate details about her social life, a Professional Conduct Panel of the Teaching Regulation Agency heard.

She also showed pupils texts in which she had described another person in derogatory terms, and told them she had been smoking, drinking and vaping on a hen night.

Blackmore admitted unacceptable professional conduct and/or conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute, and failing to maintain professional boundaries, on 24 March.

The report says up to five students would go to see Blackmore during breaks and lunchtimes at the school, and one pupil said the teacher saw them as friends, not students.

The panel found she disclosed “significant inappropriate details” about her personal life to pupils; spent excessive time with pupils; exchanged messages with pupils on social media group chats and arranged a meeting with pupils during school holidays.

‘I jump in the sea to refresh my brain’: How remote workers are boosting coastal towns

‘Banshee’ screams and chilling handprints in one of UK’s ‘most haunted woods’

Tributes paid to ‘trailblazing’ former chairwoman

During an investigation by the school, one student, referred to as Pupil A, said Blackmore had invited the group to meet her dog in the school holidays.

She also said the teacher had told them that she went on a hen do and “got really drunk and she was vaping and smoking”.

Pupil A stated she had thought it was all fine in the beginning, but it had developed into “some kind of weird relationship” where they told each other “everything”.

One pupil said four pupils would sit with Blackmore in her room at every break and lunch. She stated the conversations were regarding “how our day has been, behaviour, their home life, friends, arguments. The normal,” says the report.

‘Joined pupil group chat’

Blackmore said the children had been very supportive when her dog died.

She said: “If it hadn’t been for those students and the support they showed me after I lost [REDACTED], I don’t think I would have come back to work properly due to the way I was feeling.”

Blackmore admitted to joining a pupil’s group chat on Instagram and arranging for them to come and meet her dog at Yeovil Recreational Centre. The meeting breached the staff code of conduct, the panel found.

One parent said she was never worried anything underhand was happening and that Blackmore had been “a really good teacher”.

The report added: "The panel was satisfied that the conduct of Ms Blackmore amounted to misconduct of a serious nature which fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession.

“Accordingly, the panel was satisfied that Ms Blackmore was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct.”

She is banned indefinitely but can apply to have this reviewed after two years.

Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.

Teacher banned for kissing pupil at nightclub

Teacher banned due to his ‘unacceptable conduct’

Award-winning teacher banned from profession

Teaching Regulation Agency

Teaching

Schools

Yeovil

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.