Psychology teacher, 29, at £14,000-a-year private school is banned from the classroom after sending a sixth-former ‘intellectually intimate’ coded emails in a bid to seduce her
Alexander Day sent coded sexual emails to a student, who said he had sex with her. He denied sexual activity but has been banned from the classroom
A private school teacher who sent coded messages to a sixth-former he wanted to seduce has been banned from the classroom.
Alexander Day, who taught at £14,000-a-year Nottingham High School for Girls, sent scores of ‘intellectually intimate’ emails to a teenage student.
The English and psychology teacher, 29, told the girl in one message: ‘Words are not adequate ways to tell people what we really feel.’
And in another, he wrote: ‘One of the key impediments to full expression is the worry that the person to whom you disclose deeper feelings won’t understand them.’
Day has been banned from teaching indefinitely after a disciplinary hearing found him guilty of sexually-motivated misconduct. He cannot reapply to teach for a minimum of five years.
The girl was 18 when Day struck up the relationship, a professional standards panel in Coventry was told.
A disciplinary panel heard Day ‘created intellectual intimacy through the use of coded talk, by reference to books, music and films’
The couple swapped ‘vast amounts’ of messages on the school’s network and wrote in code to arrange theatre and cinema meet-ups.
Day also swapped private notes on music app Soundcloud, where he was said to have composed a song for her called ‘Longing’.
The student also told friends that she had sex with the teacher, but he denied the claim.
The school launched a probe after the pair were photographed together on a bus and Day was suspended in 2018 and later sacked.
Panel chair Tony Woodward said: ‘The emails contained an intellectual intimacy created through the use of coded talk, by reference to books, music and films.
‘The emails were designed to move the relationship forward. There was an underlying sexual current to the emails.
‘The volume, content and intensity of the emails demonstrated an intent to progress towards a sexual relationship.’
Day met the girl when he was teaching at the £14,000-a-year Nottingham High School for Girls
The hearing was told that the pupil initially denied having sex with Day when interviewed by the school but later insisted they had.
A charge of sexual activity was found unproven because the girl was not available to be cross-examined over her change of account.
Day was found to have committed unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that could bring the profession into disrepute.
Panel chair Mr Woodward concluded: ‘Taking into account the nature of the emails, the panel considered that Mr Day’s actions in doing so were sexually motivated.’
A spokesman for Nottingham High School for Girls confirmed: ‘Alexander Day worked at Nottingham Girls’ High School for less than a year.
‘When concerns about his behaviour were flagged up last year, he was immediately reported to the authorities, and suspended from the school.
‘Following his suspension and the conclusion of our internal procedures, he was subsequently dismissed.
‘The welfare of our pupils is our priority; girls and staff are encouraged to share any concerns they may have and these will be immediately acted upon.’