Ms Natasha Blackmore

The Secretary of State does not make these decisions themselves. They are made by a senior official on the recommendation of an independent panel.

Teacher's name: Ms Natasha Blackmore

Teacher reference number: 1477188

Teacher's date of birth: 25 February 1993

Location teacher worked: Somerset, South West England

Date of professional conduct panel: 24 March 2026

Outcome type: prohibition order

Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with The Teacher's’ Disciplinary (England) Regulations 2012, a professional conduct panel was convened to consider the case of Ms Natasha Blackmore, formerly employed in Somerset, South West England.

Teacher misconduct

Ground Floor, South

Cheylesmore House

5 Quinton RoadCoventryCV1 2WT

Email TRA.Casework@education.gov.uk

Telephone 020 7593 5393

Information about regulating the teaching profession and the process for dealing with serious teacher misconduct.

Ms Natasha Blackmore: Professional conduct panel meeting outcome Panel decision and reasons on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education March 2026 2 Contents Introduction 3 Allegations 4 Summary of evidence 5 Documents 5 Statement of agreed facts 5 Decision and reasons 5 Findings of fact 6 Panel’s recommendation to the Secretary of State 16 Decision and reasons on behalf of the Secretary of State 20 3 Professional conduct panel decision and recommendations, and decision on behalf of the Secretary of State Teacher: Ms Natasha Blackmore Teacher ref number: 1477188 Teacher date of birth: 25 February 1993 TRA reference: 25470 Date of determination: 24 March 2026 Former employer: Westfield Academy, Somerset Introduction A professional conduct panel (“the panel”) of the Teaching Regulation Agency (“the TRA”) convened on 24 March 2026 by way of a virtual meeting, to consider the case of Ms Natasha Blackmore. The panel members were Mr Gamel Byles (teacher panellist – in the chair), Ms Wendy Shannon (lay panellist) and Mr Benjamin Drouet (teacher panellist). The legal adviser to the panel was Mrs Luisa Gibbons of Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP Solicitors. In advance of the meeting, after taking into consideration the public interest and the interests of justice, the TRA agreed to a request from Ms Blackmore that the allegations be considered without a hearing. Ms Blackmore provided a signed statement of agreed facts and admitted unacceptable professional conduct and/or conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute. The panel considered the case at a meeting without the attendance of the presenting officer Mr Jon Walters of Brabners LLP or Ms Blackmore. The meeting took place in private and was not recorded. 4 Allegations The panel considered the allegations set out in the notice of meeting dated 19 December 2025. It was alleged that Ms Blackmore was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and/or conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute, in that while employed as a teacher at Westfield Academy: 1. On various dates during the academic year 2023 – 2024 and 2024- 2025 she inappropriately communicated with one or more pupils in that she: a. Disclosed significant inappropriate details about her personal life to one or more pupils; b. Spent excessive time with one or more pupils. 2. On various dates during the academic year 2023 – 2024 and 2024- 2025, she: a. Allowed one or more pupils to contact her via her personal social media account; b. Exchanged messages with one or more pupils via social media group chats; c. On one or more occasions arranged a meeting with one or more pupils at Yeovil Recreation Centre during the school holidays which was not authorised by the school. 3. On 5 August 2024, she met with one or more pupils at Yeovil Recreation Centre when she was not authorised to do so by the school. 4. By her actions at paragraphs 1 – 3 above, she failed to maintain professional boundaries with pupils. Ms Blackmore admitted the allegations and also admitted that she was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute. 5 Summary of evidence Documents In advance of the hearing, the panel received a bundle of documents which included: Section 1: Anonymised person list – page 3 Section 2: Signed statement of agreed facts – pages 4 to 7 Section 3: Teaching Regulation Agency documents – pages 8 to 72 Section 4: Teacher documents – pages 73 to 74 The panel members confirmed that they had read all of the documents within the bundle, in advance of the hearing. In the consideration of this case, the panel had regard to the document Teacher misconduct: Disciplinary procedures for the teaching profession 2020, (the “Procedures”). Statement of agreed facts The panel considered a statement of agreed facts which was signed by Ms Blackmore on 17 November 2025. Decision and reasons The panel announced its decision and reasons as follows: The panel carefully considered the case before it and reached a decision. In advance of the meeting the TRA agreed to a request from Ms Blackmore for the allegations to be considered without a hearing. The panel had the ability to direct that the case be considered at a hearing if required in the interests of justice or in the public interest. The panel did not determine that such a direction was necessary or appropriate in this case. From September 2022, Ms Blackmore was employed as the head of department for design and technology at Westfield Academy Trust (“the School”). The School is a co- educational secondary academy for pupils aged 11 – 16. On 5 December 2024, a parent reported concerns to the headteacher, and an investigation began the following day. 6 On 11 March 2025, a disciplinary hearing was held and Ms Blackmore was dismissed from the School for gross misconduct. On 16 April 2025, a referral was made by the School to the TRA. Findings of fact The findings of fact are as follows: The panel found the following particulars of the allegations against you proved, for these reasons: While employed as a teacher at Westfield Academy: 1. On various dates during the academic year 2023 – 2024 and 2024- 2025 you inappropriately communicated with one or more pupils in that you: a. Disclosed significant inappropriate details about your personal life to one or more pupils; b. Spent excessive time with one or more pupils. In the statement of agreed facts, Ms Blackmore admitted that Pupil A, Pupil B, Pupil C, Pupil D and Pupil E were pupils at the School in Year [REDACTED] during the academic year 2023/2024 and Year [REDACTED] during the academic year 2024/2025. It was admitted that these pupils attended Ms Blackmore’s classroom on various occasions during breaks and at lunchtime whilst Ms Blackmore was present. Ms Blackmore admitted that during these meetings she discussed the following with pupils: a) Her romantic relationships, including breakups and new partners; b) [REDACTED]; c) Details of her social life, including drinking, vaping and smoking on nights out; and d) Showing pupils text messages between herself and [REDACTED], describing him in derogatory terms. During the School’s investigation, Pupil E was interviewed. The notes of that interview stated that a few months after Ms Blackmore joined the School, they “grew a bond with her as a friend”. Pupil E stated that Pupil D, Pupil A and Pupil B were the lunch group. Pupil E stated that he was close friends with Pupil C and didn’t like going in the playground or loitering around so spent social times in Ms Blackmore’s room every day. Pupil E stated that Pupil B left and became friends with another student, and Pupil A followed and left. It had then became just Pupil E, Pupil D and Pupil C for a while. Pupil E stated that whilst they were in her room, Ms Blackmore would sit there and engage sometimes, such as telling them to watch their language, or if she heard anything, she 7 might ask “what’s going on here”, but it had mostly just been the pupils having a conversation and Ms Blackmore was just there. Pupil E stated that Ms Blackmore did not share a lot, it was the pupils who asked the questions. Pupil E stated he would ask Ms Blackmore what was wrong, and Ms Blackmore had tried to say that it didn’t concern them. Pupil E stated that Ms Blackmore had shared little bits like [redacted] “not supporting her” and that he had heard about texts between Ms Blackmore and [redacted] “about him not being supportive and him rather being in the pub”. Pupil E also stated that Ms Blackmore shared that she had been on a hen night with her friends, had got drunk, smoked and vaped. Pupil E also stated that there had been an occasion when Ms Blackmore had returned to School and was very upset and had tears in her eyes. He stated that Ms Blackmore had spoke with the pupils at break time, burst into tears and told them that her pet had died. Pupil E stated that Ms Blackmore had a “massive attachment to animals” and the pet was the only one living with her at the time. Pupil E stated that Ms Blackmore saw them as friends not students. He stated that Pupil C called her “Tash”, but Ms Blackmore had always told him “no”, it’s Miss”. During the School’s investigation, Pupil C was also interviewed. The notes of that interview stated that Pupil E, Pupil D, Pupil A and Pupil B sat with Ms Blackmore at every break and lunch in her room. She stated that the conversations were regarding “how our day has been, behaviour, their home life, friends, arguments. The normal”. He stated that Ms Blackmore was more of a friend, “we’ve got that bond with her. She knows a lot about us, we are up there all the time”. Pupil C was asked what Ms Blackmore chatted with them about. He stated that Ms Blackmore had told them about her [REDACTED], her dogs, having a baby, friends, family. He also stated that regarding Ms Blackmore’s [REDACTED] she had shared that she hoped [redacted] would be there more and that Ms Blackmore had showed some of her texts between herself and [REDACTED]. During the School’s investigation, Pupil A was also interviewed. The notes of that interview stated that Pupil D, Pupil B and Pupil A had, towards the end of [REDACTED] started to go to Ms Blackmore’s room at break and lunch to stay warm. She stated that, at the beginning of [REDACTED], Pupil C and Pupil E joined them at social times. Pupil A stated that initially they would chat about their day and their lessons, and between the middle and beginning of [REDACTED], Ms Blackmore started to talk about her dog, and then it progressed to talking about her new dog. She stated that just before the summer break, Ms Blackmore had said that they could come and meet the new dog in the holidays. Pupil A also stated that b