I’m going to marry my high school gym teacher – she’s mine

A man who fell in love with and became engaged to his former PE teacher – who taught him for 13 years at his high school – says his friends still call her “Miss”.

Scott Davies, 33, and Helen Booth, 41, first met in 2009 when Davies was a sixth-form pupil at Barclays School in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, where he was a PE teacher.

13 years later, in 2022, they met again in Stevenage – initially unaware of any romantic connection between them.

But they eventually fell in love, moved in together, and Scott proposed to her on a beach in Ibiza in August 2024 in front of more than 200 people.

Now, 17 years after they first met, they own a house together and are set to get married next year.

Scott, a primary school teacher from Stevenage, Hertfordshire, said: “It’s a slightly shocking story.

“I never thought I’d marry my former teacher, but we are very happy together.”

Helen, who now works as a special educational needs co-ordinator at a secondary school, added: “I feel so lucky for our relationship – it’s so special and we make each other so happy.”

The couple, who are eight years apart in age, were not in a relationship at the time, but reunited in 2022 after Scott moved back to Stevenage from Birmingham, West Midlands.

Scott had coached cricket at his old school, where Helen still worked, and the two struck up a friendship after Scott graduated from university at the age of 21.

Scott later became a primary school teacher, while Helen began working in a special school.

At the age of 25, Scott contacted Helen again, hoping that she could help him answer some questions about teaching.

After one of Scott’s relationships ended, he moved back to Stevenage from Birmingham and reconnected with Helen to discuss teaching.

But even so, there is no romantic relationship between them, it is “purely work-related.”

“At that point, everything was very professional — we were just communicating on a basic level,” Scott said.

“I left her a message to see how she was doing and we decided to meet up at the pub to chat.

“We had one drink and it was like ‘Is this a date?'”

The two had a few more drinks and realized they had romantic potential.

Scott said: “From there, we spent the next four days together.

“Neither of us were actively looking for a partner at the time, but it just kind of clicked.”

Helen said: “We got along so well from the start and it was so natural, which was great. At first we both thought it was just a ‘chance encounter’ but now we know it was our first date.”

Scott insists Helen was the teacher that all the boys had a “crush” on when they were at school.

Scott said: “My friends were so excited when they found out – they know what a lovely person Helen is.”

Helen said: “Scott has kept in touch with some of the colleagues who taught him and they are really happy for both of us.”

After two years of dating, the two got engaged.

However, their relationship also has its fair share of funny moments – especially when friends and acquaintances realize how they met in the first place.

“It’s fun when my friends meet her because they were also taught by her,” Scott said.

“Initially, some of them would still say ‘Hi, Miss’ – it was hilarious – and one of them still does it now!”

Not only do his friends have to adapt, some of Helen’s friends are also Scott’s former teachers.

Although Scott was initially reluctant to tell his parents that Helen had taught him.

“At first, I was very worried and didn’t dare to tell my parents,” he said.

“So, I had my parents meet her first without mentioning anything, and then I said, ‘Oh, by the way, she used to teach me!’

“Thankfully, they got along really well and my parents were happy with it.

“Obviously it’s a very interesting story – all these years we never thought we’d end up together.”

The couple’s relationship has gone from strength to strength and they now even live together in Shefford, Bedfordshire, and got engaged in April 2024.

But even now, when they tell their stories, they still laugh at people’s reactions.

Scott said: “She would say ‘he used to come back and teach me PE’ – but she left out the first time we ‘met’ each other.”

Helen said: “I look forward to getting married next year, having a child together and continuing this happy life.”