An educator has been barred from teaching after sending numerous messages to a student containing images of himself in bed.

The Teaching Regulation Agency was informed that Alex Mohammed communicated with a student through messages and photographs during his time as a staff member at Durrington High School in Worthing, discussing what the teenager was wearing while in bed.

Communications from the 35-year-old to the 15-year-old contained phrases such as you look good, I’m in bed, wait until the summer till we waffle and we both be bad and I’m glad you aren’t with him any more lol regarding the pupil’s former boyfriend.

The misconduct panel established that between April 7 and May 13, 2022, Mr Mohammed carried out inappropriate communications with Pupil A, that there was no professional justification for this, that some or all of it occurred outside school hours, that it involved receiving and sending photographs, and that it included receiving and sending photographs depicting alcohol.

The panel additionally established that he communicated with multiple other pupils at the school outside normal school hours and that these communications were personal in nature.

It was also established that he failed to report his communications as a safeguarding concern despite messages from pupils discussing their poor mental health and alcohol consumption.

Mr Mohammed acknowledged the allegations but maintained that his conduct was not sexually motivated.

The panel took a different view, stating they were convinced his communications with Pupil A were sexually motivated, in that they were in pursuit of sexual gratification and/or a future sexual relationship.

Evidence showed Mr Mohammed commenced employment at the school on September 1, 2014. In 2022 he held the position of science teacher and science co-director.

Fellow staff members expressed concerns about Mr Mohammed’s conduct regarding certain Year 11 pupils on three separate occasions between January and July 2022.

Initial concerns arose because groups of predominantly female Year 11 pupils spent time in his classroom outside scheduled lessons and the atmosphere seemed excessively relaxed. Mr Mohammed was cautioned by the school to maintain appropriate professional boundaries.

On May 23, he received another warning following comparable concerns. Following a Year 11 leavers’ celebration on June 30, 2022, additional teachers raised concerns about his interactions with Year 11 female pupils.

This led the school to conduct an investigation by interviewing the pupils and reviewing Mr Mohammed’s school email account.

The panel noted in its report that pupils did not raise any concerns themselves but the examination of his email account revealed that between April 7 and May 13 he had carried out extensive email correspondence with five female Year 11 pupils.

It emerged that he had exchanged over 2,000 emails with Pupil A. Mr Mohammed had also been sharing photographs, some depicting each of them in their respective beds.

Police were notified but it was determined no criminal proceedings would take place.

The panel stated Mr Mohammed did demonstrate some awareness of the seriousness of the conduct he admitted to and expressed regret for his admitted conduct but that he did not appear to recognise that his admitted conduct was potentially harmful.

The report continued: Furthermore, there was a lack of any substantial insight on his part into why he had acted as he did, such as why his concern for students or his personal circumstances led him to exchange personal photos with Pupil A. The panel found as a fact that the true explanation for his conduct, at least in part, was a sexual motivation, which he has not addressed.

They recommended Mr Mohammed receive a prohibition order with no provision for a review period.

The Secretary of State for Education accepted the panel’s recommendation for a prohibition order.

This means Mr Mohammed is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot work at any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.

Decision maker Stuart Blomfield stated that in view of the seriousness of the allegations found proved against him, he had decided that Mr Mohammed shall not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach.