Former Yorkshire teacher at Benton Park School banned for ‘highly concerning’ relationship with pupil

Kate Griffiths exchanged thousands of phone calls with the pupil, who she had saved in her phone as ‘boo’.

A professional conduct panel heard how 37-year-old Ms Griffiths had notes relating to the pupil saved in her phone, which included telling him that she loved him.

Ms Griffiths, a former maths teacher at Benton Park School, Rawdon, claimed the messages were never sent.

But the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) found that she engaged in an inappropriate relationship with the pupil, which included exchanging telephone calls, meeting him away from school and giving him money.

The panel concluded that her conduct with the pupil, referred to as Pupil A, was of a “serious nature” and “highly concerning.”

A document published online by the TRA states that Ms Griffiths joined Benton Park School in 2014.

After a parent made allegations about her behaviour in 2017, she was subject to an investigation by the school and the case was later referred to the police.

Her phone was seized and she was interviewed by officers, but no police action was taken.

Ms Griffiths resigned in March 2018 and the case was referred to the TRA that month.

The panel found that Ms Griffiths engaged in an inappropriate relationship with Pupil A from approximately November 2016 to August 2017.

Pupil A was still at the school until the last weekend in June 2017 at the earliest.

Messages were exchanged between Ms Griffiths and Pupil A, who was saved as 'boo' in her phone, but the messages had been deleted shortly before her police interview.

Ms Griffiths claims she had wiped the messages due to storage issues on her phone, which the panel said was “unfortunate”.

A total of 1,764 calls were made between Ms Griffiths and Pupil A from April to August 2017.

This included more than 100 calls in one day, 83 of which were made by Ms Griffiths.

Ms Griffiths had also previously given Pupil A money, which she had indicated was for food, and she admitted the pupil came to her home “for tea” on one occasion, while her children were present.

Messages were also found in the notes section of her phone, which included telling Pupil A that she loved him “with every atom of my being”.

Ms Griffiths accepted the messages were “intense”, which was why she says they were never sent.

The panel accepted that in the five years since the conduct had taken place, Ms Griffiths had “shown remorse and partial insight”, but that she had “not fully demonstrated that she no longer presents a risk to pupils.”

Ms Griffiths has been banned from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.

She can apply for the ban to be lifted, but not until August 23, 2024.

Explaining the panel’s decision, the document says: “The panel finds that the conduct of Ms Griffiths amounted to misconduct of a serious nature which fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession.

“While her motivations may have been sound, a caring nature is not enough to protect pupils and staff if professional boundaries are not maintained.”