Jeremy Forrest, the East Sussex teacher who spent eight days on the run in France with 15-year-old pupil Megan Stammers, will return to the UK after he appeared in court in Bordeaux and agreed to be extradited.

The 30-year-old maths teacher spoke to confirm his name and address and agreed to be questioned by British police. His lawyers had said earlier he would not contest extradition and had agreed to return as soon as possible. French magistrates will make their final decision on Thursday and Forrest is expected to be flown back to the UK soon afterwards.

He has been held in French police custody since his arrest last Friday in Bordeaux on suspicion of child abduction.

The married teacher from Ringmer, East Sussex, triggered an international police hunt after he took a cross-Channel ferry from Dover to Calais with Megan on 20 September. She had told her mother she was going to spend the night at a friend's house but failed to turn up at school the next day. Forrest and Megan were captured on CCTV holding hands on the ferry to France but after arriving in Calais they disappeared. A European arrest warrant was issued amid family appeals on TV for them to get in touch and a social network campaign to find them.

Last Friday, French police swooped as the couple walked down a busy shopping street in Bordeaux following a tipoff from a member of the public. Forrest had abandoned his Ford Fiesta in Paris and taken a high-speed train to Bordeaux with Megan. He had begun making inquiries about finding a job in a bar. One bar-owner recognised him from media coverage, told him to return the next day and contacted police.

In court in Bordeaux, Forrest appeared in the dock with two security guards and an interpreter, and gave his birthplace as Aberdeen. He was asked if he agreed to return to the UK to be questioned by police. He nodded and said yes.

Megan flew back to the UK at the weekend shortly after police found her with Forrest.

Outside court, his lawyer, Phil Smith, said: "Now that he has agreed to be extradited to the UK, we look forward to the full story emerging. He is very appreciative of the support of his family and concerned about the impact of this on all those concerned".

Forrest was Megan's maths teacher at the Bishop Bell school, Eastbourne.