A Cambridgeshire teacher who asked a former pupil to send him a photograph of herself in the bath has been struck off. Michael Lee, 39, was employed at Swaffham Bulbeck Primary School between 2016 and 2020.
Initial allegations against Mr Lee in 2017 were made when he was working as a designated safeguarding lead and assistant headteacher. Mr Lee initially went through a disciplinary process and was issued with a written warning.
The matter was referred to the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) in 2019 after the school joined the Diocese of Ely Multi Academy Trust (DEMAT). A conduct panel held in December 2024 heard a number of allegations against Mr Lee.
The TRA panel found that he was ‘friends’ with a former pupil on Facebook and that in May 2017 he had described her as ‘stunning’ and discussed a romantic relationship with her. Screenshots shared with the panel by the former pupil showed that Mr Lee had asked whether she had ‘slept’ with her boyfriend, saying that he “didn’t deserve her”.
They also showed that Mr Lee had asked for photographs of the former pupil when she had said she was in the bath and when she had said she was in bed. A report into the outcome of the conduct panel said the messages were ‘highly inappropriate’ and “a breach of professional boundaries”, as well as being of a sexual nature.
A spokesperson for Swaffham Bulbeck Primary School, part of DEMAT, said: “We are aware of the outcome of a hearing involving a former teacher at Swaffham Bulbeck Primary School who left the school in 2020. After Swaffham Bulbeck joined DEMAT as an academy in 2018, the trust was made aware of a previous safeguarding issue relating to this individual, and immediately sought professional advice.
“As a result of this, the individual was then referred to the authorities, which led to the decision that the matter should be considered at a TRA hearing. When a further issue was raised after the individual had left Swaffham Bulbeck, we also immediately reported this information to the authorities.
“We have updated our community and assured them that the safety of our pupils is, and always will be, our top priority. We will always do everything we can to ensure children are safe, happy and able to fulfil their potential.”
While the TRA was investigating the initial allegations in May 2021, a pupil’s parents reported concerns that Mr Lee had appeared to contact her on social media. Mr Lee faced allegations that he had engaged in inappropriate behaviour towards the pupil while he was her teacher, including hugging her, kissing her on the head, and ‘showing favouritism’. These allegations were found not proved by the panel, which added that it could not address whether the allegations were a breach of professional boundaries.
The panel concluded that Mr Lee was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct concerning the allegations that were found proved. “Mr Lee had engaged in communication of a sexual nature with a former pupil and the panel determined that this behaviour was potentially inherently harmful,” a report said.
Mr Lee has been banned from teaching indefinitely, meaning he cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, youth accommodation, or children’s home in England. He is also not able to apply to restore his ability to teach.
You can read the full report here.