A primary school teacher has been permanently barred from the profession after it was revealed that she operated an adult content account on OnlyFans under the pseudonym 'granny schoolteacher'. Lyndi Corston, aged 61, faced disciplinary action following the discovery of her online activities, which included performing in explicit videos.
Discovery and Initial Response
The situation first came to light in September 2024 when a colleague at Rye Community Primary School in Sussex noticed a push notification from the OnlyFans subscription service on Corston's phone. At that time, Corston claimed that her account solely featured nudity without any sexual acts and was not registered under her real name.
Initially, she agreed to shut down the account and signed an enhanced code of conduct, which allowed her to retain her teaching position. However, the matter escalated when her agency, Engage Education based in London, later uncovered evidence that she had been identified performing full sex acts on a pornographic website, also under the 'granny schoolteacher' title.
Tribunal Findings and Decision
Corston was subsequently referred to the Teaching Regulation Agency, where she admitted to the full extent of her actions and acknowledged that her conduct was unprofessional. A professional conduct tribunal reviewed the case and ultimately decided to ban her from teaching.
The tribunal panel emphasised that while teachers are entitled to a private life, there are clear limits to how far professional regulation can extend. In their written decision, they stated: 'She was plainly at risk of being recognised, which happened, and that in turn brings public confidence into consideration.'
Impact on Professional Standards
The panel further elaborated that Corston had willingly participated in publicly accessible pornographic content and maintained a personal OnlyFans account. They highlighted her position of responsibility as a teacher, noting that 'members of the public rightly expect teachers to set a good example.'
Although the activities occurred outside of school hours, the tribunal concluded that they were intrinsically linked to her role as an educator. The panel warned that such behaviour 'could potentially have led to pupils being exposed to, or influenced by, the behaviour in a harmful way.'
Mitigating Factors and Future Review
The tribunal report indicated that Corston had shown some insight by recognising and accepting that her actions were wrong. However, it was noted that when initially confronted about her OnlyFans account, she did not express regret and instead referenced her right to a private life outside of teaching.
After considering the reasons behind Corston's decision to engage in this work—details that were redacted from the public ruling—the panel opted to implement a two-year review period. This means that Corston may have the opportunity to return to the teaching profession in the future, with the first review scheduled for January 2028.
This case underscores the ongoing debate about the boundaries between personal freedom and professional responsibilities within the education sector, particularly in the digital age where online activities can quickly become public knowledge.
