A teacher at a Staffordshire school who acted in an inappropriate manner with girl pupils, including pulling one onto his lap, has been banned from the classroom for at least two years.

The General Teaching Council’s professional conduct committee found Paul Breeze guilty of unacceptable professional conduct while employed at a school in Tamworth and has issued a prohibition order banning him from teaching.

The committee found that Mr Breeze acted in an inappropriate manner in the autumn term of 2009.

He pulled a girl over his lap, made inappropriate comments regarding a pupil, failed to respond appropriately to a pupil asking inappropriate questions and acted in an inappropriate manner by allowing two girls to hide under desks when a teacher entered the room.

The committee found that Mr Breeze’s actions amounted to unacceptable professional conduct because he failed to recognise and respect appropriate boundaries with the pupils in his care and was prepared to ‘side’ with pupils.

“He had been warned concerning his over-familiarity with pupils before these incidents took place,” the committee said in its report.

“In breach of the Code of Conduct and Practice for Registered Teachers effective from 1 October 2009, he failed to establish and maintain appropriate professional boundaries in his relationships with children.

“He did not communicate clear expectations about pupil behaviour and he failed to maintain reasonable standards of his own behaviour to enable him to maintain an effective learning environment and to uphold trust and confidence in the profession.”

The committee found that his behaviour could have had a serious effect on pupils, but took into account that he had expressed regret, shown insight into his failings and had left the profession.

It added that he had submitted an impressive reference which stated that he has been painted in a darker light than was fair.

The committee said that it had decided to impose an order in response to several serious departures from the code of conduct.

It added: “This was an abuse by Mr Breeze of his position of trust over a period of time.

“The committee considers he does have attitudinal problems. In the view of the committee, there is a continuing risk to pupils if Mr Breeze continues as a registered teacher.”

He has been struck off the teaching register indefinitely and cannot apply for restoration of eligibility to register for two years.

Mr Breeze has a right of appeal to the High Court within 28 days.