Teacher sent kisses and attached 'personal photos' on emails to pupil

A teacher has been banned from the profession after she sent kisses on emails to a pupil, attached 'personal photos' and encouraged them to drink alcohol.

Laura Martland was a science teacher at Penketh High School in Warrington from March 2007, the Liverpool Echo reports. But the 39-year-old was sacked for misconduct in September 2021 after the emails came to light.

She has now been banned from teaching for at least five years after a panel found she had sent 'unprofessional' emails to a pupil - who was a child at the time - outside of school hours. A Teacher Regulation Agency panel met last month to discuss a range of allegations made against Miss Martland, who was accused of failing to maintain appropriate professional boundaries with a pupil around 2020-21.

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Miss Martland did not attend the panel hearing, which was held in her absence and which reported its findings this week. She was found to have demonstrated 'unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute' and was handed a prohibition order, banning her from the profession indefinitely - with a review period to be held after five years.

The panel found that Miss Martland had exchanged emails with a pupil - referred to as Pupil A - which were sent out of school hours, had personal photographs attached and contained an 'x' indicating kisses. She was also found to have provided the pupil with advice relating to relationships, encouraged the school pupil to consume alcohol and agreed not to share information provided by the pupil.

A second key allegation that the panel found to be proved was that Miss Martland failed to notify the school's