An assistant music director at an all girls private school was sacked after 33 years of teaching for putting kisses on her “overly affectionate” emails to students, a tribunal heard.

Jo Nicholls was fired from the £20,00-a-year Putney High School in London after calling students her “favourites” in emails sent to four pupils.

Ms Nicholls, who was regarded as “inspirational and quite exceptional” at the preparatory school for girls aged between four and 18, wrote to one pupil: “You know I care about you and we have a special bond”.

She was dismissed for gross misconduct from her position as assistant music director in October 2019 after the emails came to light and for stealing sheet music to “sabotage” upcoming music concerts at the 129-year-old school.

The hearing in Croydon, south London, heard how she had previously clashed with Alistair Gray, the school’s director of finance and operations, to such an extent the relationship was deemed “’irretrievable”.

Safeguarding rules flouted

Ms Nicholls was later called to a disciplinary hearing in September 2019 for allegedly breaching safeguarding rules by giving pupils private piano lessons at her home.

She was also accused of substituting in her daughter to take a flute exam when a pupil couldn’t and of invoice discrepancies relating to a pupil’s lessons with her.

Employment Judge Dyal did not view these allegations as serious but said the school “treated (them) with the utmost seriousness” and she was fired for gross misconduct but allowed to serve her notice.

But one month later she sent a series of “inappropriate emails” to four pupils and took home important sheet music to “disrupt” and “sabotage” a show.

In one email to two students, she said: “I want you both to know that I will not let the school destroy the relationship I have built up with you or others I feel close to…”

Emails refer to ‘special bond’

To another pupil, she said: “I am sorry about what has happened from the bottom of my heart. You’re the only one in your year who knows at the moment….

“You know I care about you and we have a special bond.”

And to another student she wrote: “I’m ok, but am really quite sad and I am already missing all of you – well not all of the whole school, but the special ones…

“A big hug [sic] you and the other special people; you’ll know who they are… Miss Nicholls xx”

Following the “deeply concerning emails” Ms Nicholls, who had taught at the school since September 1986, was fired without notice.

At the tribunal, Ms Nicholls claimed she was unfairly dismissed and that her treatment over the years amounted to sex discrimination and harassment.

However, the panel dismissed her claims.

Blurred boundaries

Judge Dyal said: “The emails with students were totally inappropriate in parts and indeed evidenced a blurring of boundaries that must exist between teachers and pupils.

“It is not appropriate for a teacher to openly designate certain pupils as their favourites, or to tell the students that they have a special relationship with them or to sign emails with kisses.

“Although she had significant mitigation for her conduct, on the facts of this case in our view it does not take dismissal outside of the band of reasonable responses.”

Putney High School is a member of the Girls’ Day School Trust, a union of 26 schools with 19,500 students and 3,500 staff.

It boasts newsreaders, Conservative politicians and actors among its alumni.