School teacher with sex offender partner is banned Published duration 14 July 2017

A woman has been banned from teaching for at least three years for having a relationship with a sex offender and not telling her school.

Francesca Rogers was teaching at Larkhill Primary School, Salisbury, and became involved with a man being investigated for child sexual offences.

He later admitted to making indecent images of children. Mrs Rogers knew of the police investigation.

The Teacher Misconduct Panel banned her from teaching until at least 2020.

The panel found she had not informed the school until around 8 January 2016. It said Mrs Rogers should have informed the school at the point the relationship became a personal one.

It said she had been dishonest with the police about how much she knew of the man's past and the police investigation.

The report stated: "Mrs Rogers entered into a relationship knowing that Individual A was being investigated for viewing indecent images of children."

Breach of standards

At the time Mrs Rogers, who was separated from her husband, was living with her two children.

She said her partner, referred to in the report as Individual A, did not live in the same household.

The panel said Mrs Rogers should have informed the school she was in a personal relationship with the man, so it could assess potential risks.

Panel members concluded she was in breach of teachers' standards and was also dishonest.

Mrs Rogers has the right to appeal against the decision. She worked at the school between 2015 and 2016 and has since left.

The National Union of Teachers said it was disappointed with the sanction imposed and was considering an appeal.