A TEACHER has been struck off after having an inappropriate online relationship with a pupil.

Shannon Miners used inappropriate language, sexual innuendo and was disrespectful to colleagues in e-mails to the Year 11 boy, at Thomas Lord Audley School, in Colchester.

Despite a warning from the headteacher, Miners continued to communicate with the teen.

The General Teaching Council’s professional conduct committee found Mrs Miners guilty of unacceptable professional conduct.

She has been removed from the Teaching Register indefinitely and cannot apply to re-register for two years.

Mrs Miners worked at the school, in Monkwick Avenue, from 2002 until 2008.

Nasreen Majid, committee chairman, said: “This relationship was discovered by the school. Mrs Miners was instructed by the headteacher to refrain from contacting the pupil unless it was absolutely necessary and related to school business.

“Any such communication was to be conducted through the school e-mail system.

“Mrs Miners failed to follow that instruction and continued to communicate, inappropriately, with the pupil.

“In this instance, Mrs Miners’s behaviour involved serious and repeated departures from the code of conduct that had the potential to seriously affect the wellbeing of young people in her charge.

“That was an abuse of her professional position and in breach of the trust placed in her by the parents of the children involved.

“Her actions were fundamentally incompatible with being a registered teacher.”

The prohibition order means she cannot teach in maintained schools or non-maintained special schools unless she persuades a panel she is fit to teach.

Miners has 28 days to appeal to the High Court.

Speaking after the hearing, Jonathan Tippett, the school’s current headteacher, said: “The school acted swiftly and appropriately when Mrs Miners’s actions came to light and is pleased the decision by the General Teaching Council reflects the seriousness of the case.

“This was a matter of grave concern. I can assure parents the school took this matter extremely seriously and child protection procedures were followed to ensure the safety and wellbeing of pupils.”