A high school teacher has been banned from the profession after asking a schoolgirl if ‘she was a virgin’ on social media.

Zahid Patel was brought before the Teaching Regulation Agency after allegations of him sending ‘intimate and flirtatious’ messages to one of his pupils.

Patel used his position to foster inappropriate ‘sexually motivated’ conversations with a female pupil, the disciplinary panel found.

Patel, who taught at Ladybridge High School, had started a new position at Essa Academy before his employment was terminated just six days after his arrest.

Patel, 30, used TikTok and Snapchat to communicate with the girl after he allowed pupils to follow his social media account on his last day at Ladybridge High School in 2019.

The pair exchanged messages between December 2019 and January 2020.

The panel was told that in one exchange, Mr Patel admitted to asking the girl whether she was a virgin.

He also admitted to making other inappropriate remarks via social media stating: ‘You’re saying you’ve done nothing with a boy’ and ‘I can’t believe you’ve not had a boyfriend’.

During another exchange, Patel sent a message to the effect of ‘What’s the naughtiest thing you’ve ever done?’, which left the girl unsure how to respond.

The panel heard that Patel told the girl he had saved a picture of her and threatened to show her family if she told anyone about their messages.

Patel denied this but the panel, noted on the balance of probabilities, it was more likely than not he made those comments, or words to that effect.

The panel decided that Patel should not be entitled to apply to be allowed to teach again – and he has no right to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach.

Patel also admitted to providing misleading information in a job application to a different school because he was ‘not getting jobs with genuine references'.

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The panel heard Patel stated in his police interview that he understood he should not have been talking to her but that it was never in "any kind of way sexual or to exploit her in any other way".

He claimed it was 'just as a person' and what he would say to anyone, not just her, trying to give her as much help as needed, ‘almost like a boost every now and then and making sure she was staying on the right track and doing her work'.

Patel explained when he kept failing to get a job he decided to dishonestly provide a reference.

In a written ruling, decision maker Sarah Buxcey said: “Mr Patel had engaged in and developed an inappropriate relationship with a pupil; he failed to disclose serious and important safeguarding matters, namely a pupil; and he had acted dishonestly to serve his own interests.

“Additionally, the panel noted Mr Patel's abuse of position of trust, the lack of insight and remorse on the impact on Pupil A and concluded that there was a risk of this behaviour being repeated.

“This means that Mr Zahid Patel is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.

“Furthermore, in view of the seriousness of the allegations found proved against him, I have decided that Mr Patel shall not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach.”

Patel can appeal the decision within 28 days of the notice.

In a statement Ladybridge High School said: “Ladybridge High School will always take action to keep our learners safe.  

"The school has worked with the Teacher Regulation Agency during their investigation and fully supports the decision made by the Department for Education to implement a prohibition order in this case.”