A teacher has been struck off after allegedly engaging in inappropriate sexual conversations with children at a secondary school in Wigan just two months after starting the job.
Kathryn Matthews, 43, who had been teaching English at the Westleigh School in Greater Manchester, held lengthy conversations in class with pupils which included discussions about sex toys and orgasms, a panel heard.
The allegations came to light after two pupils mentioned the conversation to another member of staff. The staff member informed the school and two days after the alleged conversation took place, Ms Matthews was suspended and an investigation was launched.
The Teaching Regulation Agency panel concluded that on 28 November 2024 Ms Matthews “had openly discussed with the pupils in front of the whole class, in an English lesson, sexually explicit information”.
The panel said it “considered these actions to be extremely serious” and Ms Matthews was given a prohibition order which effectively bans her from teaching for a minimum of two years. She may reapply for a panel hearing to decide on whether she can teach again after 1 October 2027.
There was “a strong public interest consideration in respect of the safeguarding and wellbeing of pupils”, the panel said.
This was the first complaint raised against Ms Matthews, and she had no previous disciplinary record. The panel also added that it had not found evidence that her behaviour had “malign intent”.
“Rather she had engaged in activities which were, very clearly, extremely misjudged and inappropriate,” the panel said.
“Though not, to any degree, finding an excuse for her actions, the panel noted that Ms Matthews had been a relatively recently qualified teacher when these events occurred and had been dealing with a class which, it appeared from the evidence was, on any basis, challenging.”
Ms Matthews did not attend the panel hearing and did not provide evidence or context to those on the panel, which was taken into consideration in how the prohibition order was reached.
The panel added: “Though troubled by Ms Matthews’ failure to engage with the process, and failure to demonstrate insight or remorse, the panel was of the view that the behaviour of which it had found her culpable was, whilst very serious, in principle capable of being addressed by someone who took the decision to learn and to take steps to rectify their behaviours and their approach to teaching.”
