Update. The teaching ban was set aside in August 2019.
A Merseyside teacher was banned from the classroom after watchdogs heard he exchanged “flirtatious” Facebook messages with a teenage pupil.
Christopher Horn, 25, who taught music at the independent Christian Fellowship School on Edge Lane, has been barred from teaching for at least four years for unacceptable professional conduct.
A professional conduct panel heard the teacher offered to rub sun cream into the girl’s sunburn during a late night conversation on the social networking site in May 2012.
The panel heard the messages "became flirtatious" and continued into the early hours.
Two days later, there was a further exchange between the teacher and the girl – known as pupil A.
The report of the conduct panel said: “Mr Horn told Pupil A that he was 'a little bit sad things hadn’t worked out' and that he had been 'looking forward to teaching [Pupil A] a few things'.
“When asked what he meant by this, Mr Horn told Pupil A he meant teaching her things 'in the art of how to have a very good time."
Text messages were also exchanged between the teacher and pupil, including a message from Mr Horn saying “That you’re fun and look 18 and you give me the eyes every now and then”.
The panel heard Mr Horn also called the girl on four occasions on one day and during one conversation they discussed their thoughts on having a relationship.
Immediately after the conversations Mr Horn spoke to a colleague about his actions and accepted that they were wrong.
He admitted having inappropriate conversations with a pupil and accepted that his actions were unacceptable professional conduct.
The panel’s report said Mr Horn believed the pupil “knew what she was doing” and said she had behaved flirtatiously.
It acknowledged the incident was short-lived, taking place over a matter of days, but said Mr Horn was in a position of trust and it was his responsibility to put a stop to the conversation.
The report said: "Mr Horn’s conduct was serious, and he crossed the fundamental boundary that exists between teachers and pupils."
Mr Horn, who had been a teacher for three years, was given a prohibition order which cannot be reviewed until March 2018.
He has a right of appeal to the High Court within 28 days. He is no longer employed at Christian Fellowship School.
Chair of governors Dr Mike Whiting said: “We accept the findings of the Department for Education professional conduct panel. “Our concern at all times is for the welfare of our pupils.”
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