(Image: CHRIS BOOTH)
A County Durham teacher has been banned after failing to tell her school about her link to a convicted historic child sex offender.
Carolyn Corner also failed to disclose that he had been released from prison and that she planned to move in with him.
A panel found the former Ferryhill School English teacher guilty of unacceptable professional conduct.
The panel found that Corner failed to tell the school in or around 2021 that 'Individual X' had been convicted of historic sexual offences against a child and jailed for five years.
She also failed to tell the school when he was released on licence in April 2024 or that she planned to move in with him in June 2024.
Ferryhill teacher Carolyn Corner has been banned from teaching after failing to tell her school (Ferryhill School) her link to a convicted child sex offender. (Image: CHRIS BOOTH)
Corner admitted the allegations and that her conduct "amounted to unacceptable professional conduct and may bring the profession into disrepute".
But the panel did not find that Corner had acted dishonestly.
The panel said Corner had "buried her head in the sand" and failed to tell the school out of embarrassment and naivety, not to deceive anyone.
It said: "The panel did not consider that an ordinary honest person would consider that to be dishonest."
But it found that her actions lacked integrity.
It said Corner "knew, or ought to have known that she was required to inform the School of the situation when Individual X was convicted, when he was released and when she planned to move in with [REDACTED]."
Ferryhill teacher Carolyn Corner has been banned from teaching after failing to tell her school (Ferryhill School) her link to a convicted child sex offender. (Image: CHRIS BOOTH)
The panel said her prolonged failure to report the situation stopped the school carrying out risk assessments and protecting pupils from potential risks.
It concluded that her conduct amounted to "misconduct of a serious nature which fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession".
The panel found that she breached the Teachers’ Standards by failing to respect the school’s ethos, policies and practices and to follow the legal framework governing teachers’ duties.
It also found that she breached safeguarding duties under Keeping Children Safe in Education.
Ferryhill teacher Carolyn Corner has been banned from teaching after failing to tell her school (Ferryhill School) her link to a convicted child sex offender. (Image: CHRIS BOOTH)
The report said Corner had safeguarding experience and had previously reported numerous cases at the school.
Person A, who investigated the case, said Corner would have reported any other case at the school.
He described her decision-making as "uncharacteristically naïve and not the sensible approach that we would normally see".
The panel found that her conduct could damage public confidence in teachers and bring the profession into disrepute.
Corner resigned from Ferryhill School on August 31, 2024.
Ferryhill teacher Carolyn Corner has been banned from teaching after failing to tell her school (Ferryhill School) her link to a convicted child sex offender. (Image: CHRIS BOOTH)
The panel recommended banning Corner from teaching, subject to a three-year review period.
It said there was "insufficient evidence as to her current attitude towards safeguarding or of her understanding of the transfer of risk".
The Secretary of State accepted the recommendation and banned Corner from teaching.
Corner is banned from teaching indefinitely in any school, sixth-form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.
She cannot apply to have the ban lifted until August 4, 2029.
Ferryhill teacher Carolyn Corner has been banned from teaching after failing to tell her school (Ferryhill School) her link to a convicted child sex offender. (Image: CHRIS BOOTH)
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The Secretary of State’s decision said: "In this case, the panel has found all of the allegations proven, except for the allegation of dishonesty."
It added: "The findings of misconduct are particularly serious as they include a lack of integrity in failing to report serious safeguarding issues over a period of time."
The decision said a prohibition order was necessary "in order to maintain public confidence in the profession".
The Northern Echo contacted Ferryhill School and the Eden Learning Trust (the academy that governs the school) for a statement, they did not respond.