A married teacher told colleagues she was in love with a schoolboy she was having an affair with.
A court was told that Bernadette Smith engaged in 'sexual activity' with the 'vulnerable' 16-year-old, whom she had taught and also tutored after school.
The relationship started in Smith's classroom at Bannockburn High School, Stirling, where she confessed her feelings to the boy, before the pair went to a nearby park and had their first kiss.
The affair was exposed after the teenager's grandmother found out and told the school. Mum-of-three Smith was then suspended on September 19 but despite that she visited the boy's home and the pair spent the night together in bed.
Smith, 35, later told police that she had told her pupil's father about her feelings for his son.
At Stirling Sheriff Court, Smith, from Denny, Stirlingshire, admitted a single charge that between September 13 and 20 this year, while in a position of trust, she engaged in sexual activity with the pupil, kissed him and lay beside him on a bed while partially clothed.
Deputy fiscal Ann Orr said: "In the course of her interview with police, she confirmed she had known the boy since he began at the school.
"She said she knew of the problems in his family life. She said he was a caring boy who found it difficult to trust people.
"She admitted that she met him on two occasions outside school and kissed him on the mouth and on the neck.
"She also admitted meeting at his home and told his father about her feelings, and she stayed overnight in the boy's bedroom and that she had been wearing her jeans and a bra."
Mrs Orr added: "She said during the interview that she loved the boy and they both wanted to be together."
Deferring sentence for a social work report, Sheriff William Gilchrist told Smith: "Your bail will continue, which includes the special condition of no contact with the boy."
The boy's dad said: "I couldn't believe it was really happening. You don't expect things like this to land on your doorstep."