A high school teacher anonymously left gifts in various locations for a student over a period of two years, including on her car, school bag and her home letterbox.

The Whanganui Girls' High student originally thought the gifts were coming from another student.

But after a jewellery box was left on her car windscreen following an exam, CCTV footage revealed it was actually teacher Rupert de Smidt.

The girl reported feeling upset and described the conduct as creepy.

Now, de Smidt has had his teacher's registration cancelled by the Teacher's Disciplinary Tribunal after an investigation that also found he had touched other students inappropriately and looked at inappropriate material on his work laptop.

"The prolonged and anonymous gift-giving to [the student] over nearly two years was covert, personal, and intrusive. It involved repeated intrusions into her personal space, including her school bag, her car, and, significantly, her home," tribunal chair Jamie O'Sullivan said in a decision released on Friday.

"The persistence, secrecy and personal nature of the conduct shared features commonly associated with grooming or stalking conduct."

De Smidt and Whanganui Girls' College have been approached for comment.

All students have automatic name suppression and the date of the offending is also suppressed to protect their identities.

STUDENT’S PHOTOS ACCESSED

The decision describes how de Smidt anonymously left a series of gifts for the student including items of jewellery and a Valentine's Day card.

They were left in a range of locations connected with the student's daily life, including her school bag, a teacher's desk after a class she attended, her car, and her home letterbox.

After it was revealed de Smidt was the anonymous gifter, the school-issued laptop was examined by the college in response to the student's complaint.

The forensic examination identified multiple instances in which de Smidt used the laptop to search for and access sexualised or adult material, including during school hours.

This included searches for women in bikinis, access to adult-themed and pornographic websites, and the storage of cached images of a sexualised nature.

It also showed that he accessed the student's social media profile and school ball photographs that included images of her.

"The accessing of a student's personal social media profile and images from a school event is particularly concerning. Such material is closely connected to a student's identity and school life and has no legitimate professional purpose.

"When viewed alongside the contemporaneous accessing of sexualised online content, this conduct represents a significant erosion of professional judgement and a serious blurring of personal and professional boundaries."

De Smidt also touched another student on multiple occasions during class.

On one occasion, when she asked for help, he knelt beside her and placed his hand on her thigh.

At times his hand was positioned high up her leg and, on some occasions, underneath her skirt.

"This physical contact was intimate, deliberate, and wholly inappropriate," O'Sullivan said.

The student told the tribunal she felt uncomfortable but did not feel able to challenge the behaviour at the time.

She later reported the conduct to the college, but "no formal action was taken by the school at that time."

After attending a school-implemented programme aimed at preventing abusive behaviour in relationships, she re-reported to another person, the current school principal Nita Pond, and then received support. 

O'Sullivan said in her decision that de Smidt had co-operated with the investigation, admitted his conduct and had voluntarily undertaken not to teach.

However, there was no real evidence of rehabilitation or insight beyond his admissions and co-operation, she said.

As well as cancellation of his registration, de Smidt was censured and ordered to pay more than $3000 in costs.

EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER CENSURED 

In another decision, released on Thursday, O'Sullivan censured early childhood teacher Donna Young after she was found guilty of serious misconduct following three incidents of "rough handling".

The incidents, which happened between August and September 2022, involved dragging students by their wrists and carrying one child "like a rugby ball" before throwing him forward.

Witnesses to the incidents said Young appeared frustrated with the children.

Young told the tribunal she denied all the incidents had ever happened and alleged the witnesses were colluding against her.

Ultimately, the tribunal ruled there was no such collusion and concluded that, on the balance of probabilities, Young did, on the occasions alleged, handle children in a manner that was rough and inappropriate for an early childhood education setting.

Young was censured, ordered to pay more than $18,000 in costs and must complete a professional development programme and 18 months of mandatory mentoring.