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A teacher who climbed on a sixth-form pupil's lap and kissed him on a train journey has escaped a ban from the profession.

Rachel Clint worked at top Merseyside school Merchant Taylor's in Crosby when she was filmed puckering up with the boy.

The teacher, who was assistant head of the sixth form at the £11,000-a-year private school, was allowed to remain as a teacher but was dismissed from Merchant Taylors.

A Teaching Regulation Agency panel decided that her actions were not of a sexual nature - even though Ms Clint had admitted that they were.

The committee heard it was "not suggested that Miss Rachel Clint’s actions were sexually motivated, given that the evidence suggests that this was a spontaneous kiss which did not lead to any further intimacy."

The boy involved had not "anticipated, expected or sought to bring about," and there was no evidence of any flirting between them.

The incident happened at a leaver's event and alcohol was being consumed when there was a free bar tab for staff.

It was admitted by Miss Clint that she had consumed alcohol on an empty stomach and therefore "viewed this incident as a result of an error of judgement on her part."

Ms Clint had accepted this allegation and that she had demonstrated a lack of integrity in failing to report what had happened to the school in the weeks following the incident.

The report heard how "a kiss between a teacher and a student on a busy train, in close proximity to other students, who proceeded to film the incident, in the panel’s view, would have a negative impact on Ms Rachel Clint’s status as a teacher."

"It could damage the public’s perception of her and therefore bring the profession into disrepute.”

However, in deciding not to impose a prohibition order from teaching, the panel said it had considered the “very strong public interest consideration in retaining Ms Rachel Clint in the profession."

Miss Clint had stated: "I accept full responsibility for my actions, but I hope this isolated and out of character incident, and my lack of reporting, does not deny me a future in the profession”.

She added: "Teaching is my vocation; it is my identity."

It was said that Miss Clint had worked as a teacher for 10 years and had an unblemished record previously.

It was noted that the investigating officer had described her as an excellent role model for pupils and it also noted that she was facing personal issues at the time.

Dawn Dandy, the Department for Education’s decision-maker, accepted the TRA panel’s recommendation that this was an isolated incident and that it was “not necessary to impose a prohibition order in order to maintain public confidence in the profession."

Beverley Bell CBE, Chair of Governors at Merchant Taylors’ Schools, said: “As the TRA report confirms, the school was not immediately made aware of the incident involving Rachel Clint on 19 May 2017.

“As soon as the school became aware, Rachel Clint was immediately withdrawn from her duties and suspended pending a full investigation. The matter was also referred to the local safeguarding officer, the police and the TRA.

“She was dismissed from her role at Merchant Taylors’ Schools in April 2018 following a disciplinary hearing, when it became clear that her conduct had fallen far below the standards that we require from our teachers.

“Safeguarding of our pupils is of the utmost importance at Merchant Taylors’. The judgement by the TRA panel allows Rachel Clint to continue her teaching career, but this will not be at Merchant Taylors’ Schools.”