Teacher banned over relationship with sex offender
GettyA teacher has been banned after failing to disclose a relationship with a sex offender.
Carolyn Corner taught English at Ferryhill School, in County Durham, until she resigned in August 2024.
A professional conduct panel of the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) said Corner failed to inform her school the individual had been convicted in 2021 of sexual offencesagainst a child and sentenced to five years' imprisonment and did not disclose she intended to move in with him after his release in 2024.
Corner admitted the allegations and accepted her conduct was unacceptable and likely to bring the profession into disrepute.
The nature of the relationship between Corner and the individual was not disclosed in the TRA report.
The panel found Corner had not intended to be dishonest about her associate and accepted she had "buried her head in the sand" due to embarrassment rather than having a deliberate intention to deceive the school.
But the panel found her actions lacked integrity, no less because of her experience with safeguarding responsibilities at the school.
GoogleThe panel was satisfied Corner's actions amounted to misconduct of a serious nature which fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession.
It found although Corner was not dishonest, she failed to disclose the conviction, release from prison and cohabitation plans, and this amounted to a serious lack of integrity and safeguarding consideration.
It recommended a prohibition order be imposed and David Oatley, acting on behalf of the secretary of state for education, accepted the recommendation.
Corner was prohibited from teaching indefinitely, meaning she is unable to teach in schools, sixth-form colleges, relevant youth accommodation or children's homes.
The order can be reviewed in three years.
