TEACHER WROTE ‘YOU NEED ME’ ON PUPIL’S EXAM PAPER
ATEACHER was accused of “flirting” with a teenage pupil and writing “you need me” in pink ink on her exam paper, a teaching hearing has been told.
The Education Workforce Council was told maths master Luke Stewart, 28, was “flirty” with the teenage girl at the £12,000-a-year St John’s College in St Mellons, Cardiff.
Mr Stewart – a teacher at the school rated in the top 10 in Britain for A-level results – sent her birthday cards and gave her private lessons.
He was investigated after pupils at the £4,000-a-term school complained about “favouritism” towards the girl.
Mr Stewart had been giving the girl, known as Pupil A, private tutoring sessions at her home despite being discouraged by the school.
But the hearing was told four pupils complained about Mr Stewart “flirting” with Pupil A.
Presenting officer Carys Williams said: “Four pupils approached a member of staff.
“They were concerned about alleged bias Mr Stewart was showing to Pupil A.”
The hearing in Cardiff was told the school’s child protection officer Emma Jones spoke to Mr Stewart about the complaints and warned him not to be alone with her.
But seven months later Mrs Jones was approached again by three more pupils about Mr Stewart’s behaviour towards the girl.
An investigation was carried out and Mr Stewart was suspended from the 460-pupil school.
Mrs Jones said Mr Stewart gave Pupil A an exam paper covered in pink writing – with comments saying “you need me”.
She said Mr Stewart also gave the pupil a “pink, child-like” birthday card that was signed “From Stewey”.
Speaking about the exam paper, Mrs Jones said: “It was apparent that the exam paper did not contain any of Pupil A’s work.
“The comments said, ‘you need me’, ‘nobody cares’, ‘I’m worried about you’ and ‘you’re suffering.’”
Mrs Jones said that on the front of the paper Mr Stewart had written “Read when you get home. Don’t turn”.
Mrs Jones said: “The fact that it was written in pink was really alarming. The comments were like a cryptic message.”
The hearing was told Mr Stewart also gave Pupil A a “child-like” birthday card.
Mrs Jones said: “It was a bright pink card. It was child-like.
“I have never seen a teacher give a pupil a birthday card.”
Mrs Jones said she was approached by pupils about Mr Stewart.
She said: “They mentioned that he did not tell her (Pupil A) off when she threw a bottle of water across the classroom and instead he smiled.”
The pupils also raised concerns about “flirting”.
Mr Stewart was warned that he should not be alone with pupils.
But the hearing was told he privately tutored Pupil A at home, and made her cry when he suspected she had had sex with a boy at a party.
Mrs Jones said: “Luke Stewart went on to state that if it got out it would ruin Pupil A.”
Her mother then cancelled the private sessions, only to receive an anonymous text.
Mrs Jones said: “She received an anonymous text that Pupil A had had sex at the party.”
The hearing was told Mr Stewart also met Pupil A’s mother at a garden centre against school protocol.
He left the school by mutual agreement in December 2016 after a settlement was agreed.
Mr Stewart, from Caerphilly, admits writing the inappropriate comments, sending the birthday card, texting the girl’s mother and meeting her outside school.
But he denies displaying favouritism, flirting, encroaching on Pupil A’s personal space and making inappropriate comments.
He also denies that his actions were “sexually motivated”.
The hearing in Cardiff continues.