A TEACHER has been banned from the profession after sending sexual messages to a male pupil.

Victoria Ayris, who is from the Accrington area, was barred from the classroom after the Professional Conduct Panel outcome.

The panel, which met in private before publishing the decision, concluded Ms Ayris was guilty of unacceptable professional while employed at Castlebrook School, Bury.

After the headteacher’s suspicions were roused she sent a desperate message to the Year 11 pupil begging him to delete everything.

The hearing found she sent more than 2,000 text messages to Pupil A between February 2012 and November 2012 containing sexual content, personal details and photographs of herself using the messaging service Whatsapp.

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Although messages were “sexual and graphic”, the photographs in the evidence bundle were not of a sexual nature.

Ms Ayris was employed at the school from 2008 until 2013 as a chemistry teacher. She began exchanging text messages with a Year 11 boy referred to as Pupil A in February 2012.

Ms Ayris, who was Pupil A’s chemistry teacher send messages described as “varied and included some content of a personal and sexual nature”. In November 2012, concerns were reported about Ms Ayris leading the school’s headteacher, to warn Ms Ayris not to make further contact with Pupil A.

However she sent the following: “Delete my phone number and all messages including Whatsapp – don’t ask why just do it – your mum will want to see your phone when you get home”.

The panel also considered the school’s Professional Relations Policy which confirmed that personal mobile telephone numbers should not be shared with learners other than in an emergency situation and that Ms Ayris was aware of this policy.

The panel concluded: “Teachers uphold public trust in the profession and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school, by treating pupils with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all times observing proper boundaries appropriate to a teacher’s professional position.

“The Panel considered the volume, timing and nature of the texts and is satisfied that the conduct of Ms Ayris fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession.”

The decision means Ms Ayris is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England. She may not apply for a review until 17 June 2016, and without a successful application, remains barred from teaching indefinitely.