Teacher at all-girls school banned after having sex with student

Steven Jackson was Head of English at Upton Hall School in Birkenhead

A Wirral teacher has been banned from teaching for life after having sex with a student and continuing a relationship with her after she left an all-girls school. Steven Jackson invited a student known only as Student A to his home for dinner, which led to him kissing her and having sex with her.

A Teacher Regulation Agency (TRA) hearing was told how the 53-year-old, who was head of English at Upton Hall School, Birkenhead, sent a series of messages to the student, used his position to “groom” her and on “four or five occasions” engaged in sexual acts with her. A report detailing the hearing said he will never be allowed to teach again, having also drunk alcohol with Student A and another student, as well as putting his hands on another girl’s legs.

The report said Mr Jackson worked at the school between 2011 and his resignation in 2020, when the incidents came to light. After two years at the school, he became head of English with responsibility for A-level and Key Stage 4.

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The hearing heard that the school, which caters for girls aged between 11 and 18, received an anonymous letter describing Mr Jackson having an inappropriate relationship with a female student shortly after they left the school. Upon receiving the letter, Mr Jackson denied any knowledge of the concerns raised by the school and, when approached before the TRA hearing, denied inappropriately touching or propositioning a second female student.

He was suspended in January 2020 and resigned later that month. When Pupil A met with authorities, she said Mr Jackson had given her his phone number and invited her to his home.

She said she had been on “four or five occasions” where they had engaged in sexual acts and intercourse. Student A said she knew what had happened to her had happened to another girl, known as Student B.

Mr. Jackson was interviewed by police, but no criminal charges were filed. A disciplinary investigation was conducted by the school, but the teacher resigned before any sanctions were applied.

In a series of messages to Student A, Mr Jackson sent letters including: “Drunk, thinking about you. Bad idea. X” and “I want you. Near me X”. He also invited Student A to dinner on one occasion when she was on study leave, when the couple ended up having sex.

In an email dated June 14, 2024, Mr. Jackson said he began texting Student A and that it developed into a sexual relationship.The panel was satisfied that the relationship between Mr Jackson and Student A became sexual before the end of her time at Upton Hall and therefore while she was still a student.

The TRA was told how Mr Jackson also sent messages to another girl, Pupil B, asking her to go to concerts during her A-Levels, but she told him she had to study. When interviewed, she said Mr Jackson asked her to come to his house several times and she made excuses not to go.

After Student B attended a concert where Mr. Jackson was present, he was given a ride back and spent time at her home. A witness told TRA that they had seen his hand on her leg, leading officers to conclude that his actions with both students had been sexually motivated.

The behaviour was deemed to amount to unacceptable professional conduct and conduct likely to bring the teaching profession into disrepute. The report said: “Mr Jackson’s behaviour had its roots in activities in the school environment.

“The panel found that Mr. Jackson used his professional position to groom the students in question. This conduct affected the way he carried out his responsibilities as a teacher, which included protecting students.”

It added that Mr Jackson acknowledged that he had “broken and betrayed the trust that (Student A) had in him and (he) deeply regretted the harm this had caused her”. In taking the decision to ban him from the classroom for life, the authorities gave weight to the fact that his actions were deliberate and repeated over two academic years towards two different students, suggesting a pattern of behaviour.

It said: “There was no evidence that Mr Jackson acted under duress.” As well as a lifetime ban, Mr Jackson will not be allowed to reapply to teach anywhere in the UK.