A teacher who put his arm around a pupil's neck while holding a knife and jokingly threatened to kill him for giving a wrong answer has been banned from the classroom for two years.

John Holmes, 53, made the threat during a lesson at Landau Forte College in Derby in the summer term of 2012.

A National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) disciplinary panel heard the incident happened during a geography lesson.

The pupil, who is referred to only as Pupil B, was unharmed during the incident.

The panel hearing, which took place earlier this month, was told Holmes was suspended from the school in April last year after the incident came to light.

The school, which teaches pupils from 11 to 19, investigated the incident and referred the matter to the NCTL.

The panel heard the teacher admitted his actions had been inappropriate but said the incident occurred "in a jovial manner". He left the school by mutual consent last August.

It also heard that Derbyshire police cautioned Holmes for possessing an article with a blade or sharp point on school premises in relation to the incident.

After hearing all the evidence, the NCTL disciplinary panel concluded that Holmes was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct. He was handed a two-year prohibition order.

In its findings, the panel said: "Mr Holmes accepts that using a knife in class is totally inappropriate.

"Mr Holmes made physical contact with Pupil B by placing his arm around Pupil B's neck, and then took his knife from his pocket and pushed it open so that the blade locked into place. Mr Holmes then made a pretend threat to kill Pupil B."

The panel said the incident was of a "serious nature" but accepted that there was no intention to cause the pupil harm and Holmes had expressed remorse.

It said it accepted he had been in possession of the small knife on school premises "out of carelessness, not aggressive intent".

Giving the panel's decision to ban Holmes, NCTL official Paul Heathcote said: "Mr Holmes's actions were not perceived by Pupil B or other pupils in the class to be a genuine threat. Mr Holmes is an experienced and successful teacher, valued by the school and many of its pupils. His current employer has provided a positive testimonial.

"However, his conduct represents a serious departure from the personal and professional conduct elements of the teachers' standards. He was in possession of a bladed or pointed article on school premises and there is a strong public interest in deterring the carrying and use of knives in schools."

The ban means Holmes is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth-form college, relevant youth accommodation or children's home in England for at least two years.

After 15 July 2016 he may apply for the prohibition order to be set aside but a panel will need to meet to consider whether this is appropriate.