A FEMALE student teacher banned from the classroom after having an affair with a Year 12 boy admitted she may have been “too friendly” with students.

The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal heard the woman, who was 21 at the time, engaged in a sexual relationship with the boy. She also contributed towards lavish gifts, such as a flatscreen TV for his 18th birthday, and text messaged him daily.

Following an investigation, the Department of Education and Communities ruled the woman had breached the teaching professional conduct code, placing her on a list of people never to be employed.

She was also referred to the Office of the Children’s Guardian, which in January this year imposed a ban on the woman from working with children.

In applying for the ban to be overturned last week, the woman argued the relationship had been “completely consensual”.

While the relationship was of a “sexual nature” the woman said the couple did not have intercourse.

She also said she regretted her actions and had learned a “valuable lesson”.

“I wish to clarify that my relationship with (the student) was completely consensual and at no time did we engage in sexual intercourse,” she said.

“In all areas of my life I attempt to conduct myself with a high degree of integrity and professionalism and I understand that I wrongly engaged in a personal relationship with a student and I sincerely regret my actions.”

The court heard it was common for Year 12 boys to gather outside the staffroom during the woman’s placement at the school.

During the misconduct investigation undertaken by the department, a supervising teacher said the woman would often go out and talk with the boys who were often “joking”, “loud” and engaging in attention-seeking behaviour.

She said she warned the woman that she needed to “maintain a level of professionalism”.

The court heard that while the woman had denied flirting with them, she accepted in retrospect that it was “too friendly” and may have been perceived by others as “flirtatious”.

In clearing the woman to work with children, the Tribunal said she had not had the benefit of having completed her teaching course.

This included Current Issue in Health and Physical Education, a subject that would have alerted her to the ethical issues associated with such a relationship, he said.

“While this does not excuse her conduct, I would view it more seriously had she undertaken that course and chosen to ignore its lessons by forming the relationship,” the tribunal said.

“The woman was a young and immature 21-year-old at the time of the misconduct.

“In the years that have passed since then I am satisfied that she has matured significantly, and now has real insight into the gravity of her past behaviour, and sincere regret for it.”

Mr Moloney said he was satisfied that the woman did not pose a real risk to children.