After a detailed investigation, the Teaching Regulation Agency's professional conduct panel ruled 34 year old Cheyne Phillips be banned from teaching for life with no opportunity to reapply for teaching status.
The tribunal found Mr Phillips gravely breached expected standards by sending sexually suggestive remarks and engaging in sexual relations with a pupil.
One message Mr Phillips is alleged to have sent to one of the pupils, highlighted by the panel for its inappropriate nature, said: "Times ticking baby cakes [emoji] u either want ur eyes to water or you don't [emoji]."
Mr Phillips held a post as a PE teacher at Healing Academy from July 2016 until he was terminated in July 2022. The Harbour Learning Trust, overseers of the academy, stated that they acted promptly to address the situation under their former headteacher and CEO, cooperating fully throughout the inquiry process.
The Teaching Regulation Agency panel viewed the misconduct findings as particularly serious as they "include a finding of sexual activity, sexual communication with a child and activity involving viewing and possessing indecent photographs of a child". Both pupils reported Mr Phillips' behaviour towards them changed as they entered the last months of their time at school.
Evidence presented included screenshots of Instagram messages between Mr Phillips and one student, featuring his request: "Is this the part where I get lucky and get a few pics and videos? [emojis]."
Screenshots showed Instagram messages between Mr Phillips and one of the pupils, including him sending one which read: "Is this the part where I get lucky and get a few pics and videos? [emojis]." Messages with the other pupil were alleged to have occurred by Snapchat, a social media app where screenshotting notifies the other person of this action. Consequently, the pupil copied and pasted messages sent by Mr Phillips, such as "Times ticking baby cakes".
The panel found Mr Phillips was sexually motivated in pursuing entirely inappropriate lines of communication with both pupils. It was found on the balance of probabilities he had sexual relations with one pupil on one or more occasions, and received one or more explicit photographs of the pupil.
One pupil testified that Mr Phillips had asked her for explicit photos. While the panel did not establish this as a fact, they did find that Mr Phillips had requested pictures from the other pupil.
The panel was unequivocal in its belief that both pupils had been harmed and Mr Phillips' actions "were having a serious and continued effect" on them. The teaching ban will remain in place indefinitely, unless an appeal is lodged at the High Court within 28 days of the order being issued.
Mr Phillips opted not to attend the hearing as he did not feel equipped to adequately respond to the allegations, according to what the panel heard. However, in a written statement, he denied the allegations and a significant number of the factual claims associated with them.
He also stated that regardless of the outcome, he had no desire or intention to return to teaching.
In a statement given to Grimsby Live, Harbour Learning Trust, which operates Healing Academy, said it is "committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all of our students and expects all our staff to share this unwavering commitment.
"We wish to make it unequivocally clear that the behaviours attributed to this individual do not align with the values, professional standards, or expectations held by our Trust.
"We are deeply committed to fostering a safe, respectful, and nurturing environment for all students, and any actions that undermine this commitment are viewed with the utmost seriousness. We can confirm that this incident was dealt with swiftly by the Trust, under the previous CEO and Headteacher, and the school and Trust have complied fully with the investigation.
"Harbour Learning Trust do not condone behaviour that compromises the well-being, trust, or safety of our students in any way. Our primary concern remains the protection and education of the young people in our care."