North Finchley teacher barred after Edward Cullen love message to pupil

MyLondon reported that Rafiqul Islam, aged 34, sent a series of Instagram messages to a pupil at his school, declaring his affection and referencing a fictional vampire romance.

Details of the messages

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One message read, “It wasn’t the normal type of love, but the Edward Cullen type of love.” MyLondon noted that Islam also wrote that he spent most of his Sunday thinking about the pupil and that he would sacrifice his career to be with her.

Pupil’s reaction and school response

The pupil told MyLondon that she felt physically sick, screamed and informed her mother the day after receiving the messages. She reported the incident to the school, which prompted Islam to resign the following day.

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Investigation by the Teaching Regulation Authority

MyLondon stated that the Teaching Regulation Authority examined the messages and concluded they were sexually motivated, despite Islam’s insistence that they were not. The authority found that he lacked insight into the seriousness of his conduct.

“The panel noted that Mr Islam had demonstrated in his written documents and oral evidence a highly concerning lack of insight generally into the seriousness and wholly unacceptable nature of his actions.”

Teaching Regulation Authority panel

Consequences and next steps

MyLondon reported that the Teaching Regulation Authority issued a prohibition order barring Islam from teaching in any school, sixth form college, youth accommodation or children’s home in England. The order has no review date, meaning the ban is indefinite.

Wider context

The case highlights ongoing concerns about staff‑pupil boundaries in North London schools. MyLondon noted that safeguarding teams continue to monitor online communication between educators and students to prevent similar incidents.