Sexual misconduct in the classroom: 51 teachers in the UK banned because of inappropriate behaviour

Six women teachers are among 51 banned from teaching in UK schools since January 2015, with others barred for behaviour ranging from sexual affairs to sexting. Among those forbidden from teaching by the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) was a teacher who appeared on the popular Channel 4 TV documentary Educating Yorkshire.

Neil Giffin, 36, was struck off in January 2015 after having a relationship with an 18-year-old girl after the school's end-of-term ball. He also admitted having an affair with another ex-pupil.

In another incident at a different school, design and technology teacher Jeffery Thomas, 40, was struck off when his 18-year-old girlfriend Lily-Mai Guard was expecting their child. It was revealed that the teenager had been groomed by her married former teacher and became pregnant with his baby.

Thomas was working at Haberdashers' Aske's Knights Academy, in Bromley, Kent, when he started a relationship with Guard in 2013. Despite warnings from the teenager's brother and the school's vice principal, the affair continued.

Other teachers were banned after being accused of charges such as possession of indecent images, voyeurism and indecent exposure. The figures could be higher as the number does not include teachers who are facing criminal charges but have not yet appeared in court.

The Department of Education revised its advice in January 2014 so that sexual misconduct such as the possession of indecent images of children, including one-off incidents, should lead to the teacher being banned from teaching. The guidance also says teachers who do not take action to stop any inappropriate behaviour once it has become known will also face bans.

"Nothing is more important than keeping our children safe," a Department for Education spokesman told Mail Online. "Teachers are expected to demonstrate consistently high standards of personal and professional conduct. Where teachers are guilty of professional misconduct, we have tightened guidelines to keep them out of the classroom."

Nearly 40% of teachers banned from the profession in Wales in the last two years have been struck off for having "inappropriate" relationships or conversations with pupils. Education Workforce Council figures showed 13 of 34 staff were barred for such conduct from August 2013 to the end of 2015.

Two more were suspended, while three others were banned for other misconduct involving sexual content, according to a BBC report. The National Union of Teachers said the behaviour was not a common occurrence in schools.