Teacher banned for kissing pupil at nightclub

Jack Valentine was a trainee teacher at Taunton School when the incident took place

A trainee teacher who kissed a private school pupil at a nightclub has been banned from the profession.

Jack Valentine had been acting as a chaperone at the summer ball for Taunton School in Somerset, on 30 June 2022, when celebrations moved on to the club.

A professional conduct panel heard the PE teacher was seen by another pupil "dancing extremely intimately" with the girl and they kissed for an "extended period of time".

The 25-year-old admitted the allegations and was given an indefinite prohibition order.

The incident happened in the presence of other pupils, staff and parents before the end of term, the Teacher Regulation Agency panel heard.

Before authorities were alerted to the incident, the trainee teacher was offered employment at Gresham's School in Holt, Norfolk. He resigned after one month working there, when leaders were told about his actions.

Awareness of boundaries

The panel noted he had admitted the allegation from the outset, showed "a significant degree of remorse", and acknowledged the effect of his actions on both schools.

However, the teacher had received prior warnings for "breaching boundaries", which were not in the same circumstances but "suggested that this was not a one-off incident in terms of his professional conduct", the panel's report said.

"While the panel acknowledged Mr Valentine was young and inexperienced, there was evidence of his safeguarding qualifications meaning he should have been aware of the appropriate boundaries between teachers and pupils," it added.

In determining the sanction, the panel found his exploitative conduct was at the lower end of "serious" and there was no evidence it resulted in harm to the pupil.

There was also no evidence that Mr Valentine had made a significant contribution to the education sector.

Mr Valentine is permitted to apply for a review of the prohibition in August 2026.