“The findings of misconduct are particularly serious as they include a finding of offering pupils his personal number, sending emails to meet when that pupil was not eligible to attend the school, attending the school gym with a pupil with no other staff or pupils present and unnecessary physical contact with a pupil, conduct found to be sexually motivated.”.
Teacher banned after offering pupils his number and touching them 'inappropriately’ Panel found Matthew Bell touched student in ‘sexually motivated’ way after inviting him into school during lockdown.
Mr Bell denied that his actions were sexually motivated, but the panel concluded that there was “no plausible innocent explanation for Mr Bell’s touching” of the student in March 2020.
Mr Bell received a warning for similar conduct in January 2016, when he attended the sports hall and engaged in “physiotherapy-style stretches” with another pupil, which included him “stretching and pulling” the student’s legs.
The report also found Mr Bell had offered his personal phone number to a second student at this time.
