A talented teacher who was passionate about music and dance has died.

Timothy Groom taught science and RE at Portslade Community College for two years and was also involved in performing arts at the school.

The 49-year-old’s sudden death has shocked colleagues and pupils who paid emotional tribute to him.

The school held a remembrance service for Mr Groom on Thursday and students released multicoloured balloons in his memory.

An Ofsted inspection was postponed following news of his death.

A message on the school website, written after the ceremony, said: “While grieving at his untimely death we took the opportunity to celebrate his love of life, his passion for dance and music, the delight he took in his students, his teaching – and his ties.

"We will miss him.”

A book of memories has been set up at the school and a collection was taken for Hove-based charity Off The Fence, which helps vulnerable people and which Mr Groom supported.

Gavin Bellamy, school vice-principal, said: “This was a huge shock to all of us, staff and students alike. We have no knowledge of what happened, just that he had died.

“Tim was involved in lots of things around the school. He was involved in all of the school’s productions, he played the piano and helped the students to learn about dancing. He was a dancer and had performed in ballroom dancing competitions in Blackpool.

“He was a very passionate, gentle, caring man. He was very talented, very knowledgeable and very supportive to the students.He was always willing to put himself out.”

Mr Groom was well-known for his love of flamboyant ties.

Lydia Burtenshaw, 14, who was a member of his Year 9 tutor group, said: “Every day he came in with different coloured ties on with things like carrots or shoes on them.

“He was a lovely teacher. He was really nice to everyone and if someone got upset he would always be there.

“When they gathered us in the hall to tell us, everybody was just crying.”

Mr Bellamy said the remembrance service was important for the pupils.

He said: “The service, which was held after school, was absolutely packed. It was sombre at times but we celebrated what Timothy enjoyed, which was music and dance. Some of the students did a dance and we all sang some songs from musicals.

“Then we went outside on to the field to release balloons in his memory.

That was an act of letting go that we felt the students needed to do.

"Timothy will be sorely missed by everybody.

He was only here for a short time but he had a big impact.”

Before joining Portslade Community College, Mr Groom worked for 12 years at Falmer High School in Brighton.

A spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council said: “Tim taught in a number of local schools during his career and had a clear commitment to young people in Brighton and Hove.”

Sussex Police attended a property in Sillwood Place, Brighton, on January 31 at 2.30pm, following a report of a sudden death.

A spokeswoman said Mr Groom’s death was not being treated as suspicious.

In December, Mike Fawcett, a popular English teacher at Blatchington Mill School in Hove, died suddenly at the age of 41.

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