Teacher banned from schools after having sex with pupil at family home
Helen Flinders admitted to the relationship which took place 25 years ago
A teacher has been banned from the classroom after she admitted to a historical sexual relationship with a former pupil.
Helen Flinders, now aged 55, had been working at St. Joseph's School in Swindown in 2000 when she entered into the sexual relationship with the pupil.
A report found that she had initiated the relationship after kissing the student whilst at another teacher's house following sports day.
Following this, the pupil and teach would have regular sexual encounters at the student's family home during 2000, before things came to an end.
The incident was eventually unearthed in 2011 whilst Flinders had been teaching at another school; the fallout from the revelation prompted her to resign a few months later.
Giving a witness statement in April 2025, Flinders said: "I wish to apologise to Pupil A for my behaviour at the time.
"I am truly sorry. I hope the process for him of reliving these events have not harmed him in any way. I hope he can move forward in a positive light."
According to the panel undertaking the investigation, the pupil insisted the relationship was consensual and he never felt taken advantage of.
Following their enquiries, the presiding panel recommended that Flinders be removed from the profession, "with no provision for a review period" - meaning she will never work in the classroom again.
The report added: "The findings of misconduct are particularly serious as they include a finding of a teacher having a sexual relationship with a pupil."
They added that Flinders had "seriously breached" the trust expected from a teacher, crossing a boundary and "abusing her position" to engage in the relationship.