Teachers tread a careful line
Arriving at a girls' secondary school for his first teaching job, Andrew was immediately told how to discourage unwanted attention - and avoid any accusations of inappropriate behaviour.
As a man in his early 20s, who would soon be discussing love in English literature lessons with his pupils, he was glad of the advice.
"There were certain rules which were never to be broken - mainly that you were never alone in a room with a girl, unless the door was open," he said.
Andrew, who teaches in Kent, told BBC News Online: "Ideally, there should always be someone else with you, but there were times - for example when you were discussing a pupil's performance or behaviour - that you would be alone and then the door had to be open."
In his 12-year teaching career, he says he felt "in danger" from a teenage crush only once.
"I'm very good at not noticing if someone is trying to flirt with me, which helps, but there was one occasion at my last school when a sixth-former had kept coming to see me in my office for advice.
"This last time, the door closed slowly - by itself - behind her and I felt very uncomfortable.
"She was one of those people who stand very close to you.
"She was between me and the door, so I watched through the glass and when I saw a teacher pass by, I told her I had to catch them, so I could get out and then come back, leaving the door open."
Malicious gossip
Professor Michael Reiss, of London University's Institute of Education, says there are very firm guidelines which help teachers to keep their professional distance.
"From the beginning of time, young people have developed crushes, romantic attachments and sexual longings for people both of their age and older.
"The crucial thing is how the situation is handled by the teacher."
He says teachers should obey common-sense rules so that they do not allow a pupil's behaviour or hopes to develop into an inappropriate relationship.
Professor Reiss says teachers have to send a subtle message to the pupil that their feelings are not reciprocated.
"They also need to give a message - often on a sub-conscious level that there is nothing fundamentally wrong or abnormal with the pupil."
Professor Reiss, who also edits the academic journal Sex Education, says teachers should have no physical contact with a pupil, with the exception of an occasional touch on the arm or in certain circumstances, a hug.
He advises teachers who feel uncomfortable with a pupil's behaviour or infatuation to speak to a senior respected teacher, such as a head of year or deputy head.
As for socialising with pupils, Professor Reiss says teachers should generally avoid being on their own with a single pupil or out of school with a very small group.
Book cupboard
Mike Newby, the chairman of the Universities' Council for the Education of Teachers, says as trainees, teachers would be made well aware of their rights and their responsibilities to children when they started teaching practice in schools, if not on campus.
"A large part of a teacher's training takes place the classroom and they would be made well aware of their rights and responsibilities," he said.
"I can't think of any good teacher training that would not explain their rights and responsibilities to them.
"It is only right they think about the damage grown ups can do to children, but they must also realise that they should protect themselves from malicious gossip.
"I remember when I began teaching at a further education college and on my first day I was taken aside and told that on no account must I go into a book cupboard with a female pupil if there was no one else present."
Kent teacher Andrew says at first some people find it difficult to establish the right tone of relationship with their pupils.
"When a teacher is just starting out and is just a few years older than his or her pupils, they can find it hard to become a figure of authority, but once they get through that year, things become much clearer and easier.
"If you get through your first year, then you will probably be all right."