Woman geography teacher is banned from the classroom after 'romantically pursuing' 15-year-old pupil for two years

• Catherine Rayne joined the Michael Hall School, Sussex, in September 2009
  Began messaging the pupil as she wanted to be 'romantically involved'
  She made friends with him on Facebook and swapped mobile numbers
  Gave him a string of gifts and extra tuition at home
  
  
  A female geography teacher has been banned from teaching indefinitely after ‘romantically pursuing’ a male pupil for almost two years.
  
  Catherine Rayne took a job at the Michael Hall School in Forest Row, East Sussex, in September 2009 - making friends with the pupil on Facebook and swapping mobile phone numbers.
  
  A Professional Conduct Panel heard how Miss Rayne, a pretty blonde in her 30s, tried to seduce the youngster by sending him a string of gifts and giving him extra tuition at her home.
  
  She also sent him scores of messages on Facebook and well as text messages telling him she wanted to be ‘romantically involved’ with him.
  
  The panel was told she also sent the pupil a letter asking him ‘to be in a relationship with her’.
  
  The hearing was told that Miss Rayne continued the pursuit of the pupil despite him telling his father that he was ‘uncomfortable’ with the attention she lavished on him.
  
  Miss Rayne was given an informal warning for inappropriate conduct in late 2009 and then a formal warning in September 2010 after a complaint from the pupil’s father.
  
  The hearing was told that the pupil suffered from taunts from his fellow pupils over his ‘relationship’ with Miss Rayne.

A report by the Department for Education’s professional conduct panel, published on Wednesday this week, stated: 'Her conduct was compounded by the fact that it ought to have been apparent to her, at least from September 2010, that the pupil found her attentions ‘uncomfortable’.

'Moreover, in the latter stages, her conduct took place in the face of not only a clear indication from the pupil’s father that she was to have no further contact but also a formal warning issued on September 10, 2010.'

Uncomfortable: The Department of Education's report said that Ms Rayne (pictured) should have known that the pupil was not comfortable with her advances

The panel stated that Miss Rayne ‘demonstrated a serious lack of professional judgement’ and that her conduct had ‘very real potential’ to damage her profession and the ‘reputation of the school’.

It added: 'Ms Rayne’s conduct fell well short of the standard expected of the profession and which was compounded by the fact that it continued in the face of a formal warning.

'The panel finds that it amounted to unacceptable professional conduct.'

The panel said Miss Rayne had ‘betrayed the trust’ of a parent and that her behaviour amounted to ‘conduct that might have brought the profession into disrepute’.

The spokesman for the 575-pupil school said this week “It is not appropriate for the school to comment on the details of the case in the interests and protection of those individuals involved.

The teacher had joined Michael Hall School in September 2009, and soon embarked on pursuing the pupil

'The school management team are confident that the internal procedures leading to this event were timely and appropriate.

'The latest Ofsted report on our school confirmed that ‘safeguarding procedures are well established and staff have regular training in child protection procedures’.

'Michael Hall School continues to regard the welfare and protection of our students as our first priority.'

Miss Rayne has been banned from teaching indefinitely and can only ask for the banning order to be overturned in five years.