The West Midlands teachers whose 'inappropriate' actions saw them banned from the classroom

When we send our children to school, we rightly expect them to be well looked after by caring staff - but unfortunately this is not always the case. A number of teachers from the West Midlands have disgraced themselves, and the profession, as a result of their 'innappropriate' behaviour.

From 'biting' children to running X-rated social media profiles, these teachers have been struck off for bringing the profession into disrepute. A total of eight teachers from the West Midlands have been banned from the profession this year by the Teaching Regulation Authority (TRA).

Some have been banned indefinitely, while others may be eligible to re-apply for their teaching licence. These are the West Midlands teachers whose shocking behaviour saw them banned from the classroom.

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Aqib Khan - Harborne Academy

Aqib Khan worked as an English teacher at Harborne Academy from December 2020 to March 2023 before he was banned for expressing 'inappropriate religious views', calling Westernised girls 'lunatics' and showing a topless image of himself.

The 30-year-old made a series of 'unacceptable' comments on a Microsoft Teams group in which he discussed dating and how to 'get girls', even showing a student a topless photo where he was flexing his muscles. He also expressed 'harmful' comments about dating and relationships.

A TRA investigation found Mr Khan had not shown tolerance of and respect for the rights of others, and undermined "fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with, different faiths and beliefs."

Thomas Sherlock - Ormiston SWB Academy

Thomas Sherlock was a geography teacher at Ormiston SWB Academy in Bilston who was struck off for having sex with a former pupil on 'more than one occasion'. The 29-year-old was found guilty of engaging in a sexual relationship with the pupil after the pair's communications developed from 'professional to personal.'

The TRA panel found him guilty of unacceptable professional conduct that would bring the teaching profession into disrepute. The panel concluded his actions put a 'vulnerable' girl in a position where her wellbeing was not safeguarded effectively.

He was given a prohibition order by the Secretary of State preventing him from carrying out teaching work in schools or other settings, with no opportunity for review.

Neil Moss - Topcliffe Academy

Primary school teacher Neil Moss was banned from the classroom for life after he made and distributed hundreds of 'distressing' images of children. The former teacher at Topcliffe Academy in Castle Vale pleaded guilty in court to making and distributing explicit photographs of a child, and one further count of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

He was handed a suspended prison sentence and also banned from teaching for life by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA). In court, it was revealed police found hundreds of indecent images on a device.

A judge at his sentencing hearing said: "The nature of the images themselves… is of course distressing to contemplate."

Paul Fitter - City of Birmingham School

Paul Fitter was a former PE teacher at the Grove Campus at City of Birmingham School. He struck off by a teaching misconduct panel after being found guilty of 'serious sexual misconduct'.

He was banned after he showed a female colleague 'photos of his private parts' and told her he 'had no underwear on'. The 48-year-old was suspended from the Balsall Heath school in January 2021 after colleagues raised concerns about 'inappropriate' behaviour displayed towards other members of staff.

Farah Belkhelfa - Ormiston SWB Academy

Farah Belkhelfa was a former languages teacher at Ormiston SWB Academy who was struck off following a 'physical' confrontation where she 'bit' a child on a public bus. The 29-year-old was suspended after she became involved in a grapple with a child after approaching a group of students who were 'shouting extremely loudly' on a bus.

The TRA panel ruled her actions placed the child at risk of injury and could ‘potentially damage’ the public’s perception of a teacher. She may apply for the order to be set aside after two years.

Samantha Barguss - Hall Green Infant School

Samantha Barguss was a former primary school teacher at Hall Green Infant School who worked as a £1,600-a-night escort. She also posted explicit images of herself online.

The TRA panel noted some of the photographs and still images from the videos clearly showed her face. She initially denied all the allegations but admitted 'aspects of the allegations' in 2023. She was banned from the classroom for five years earlier this year.

Darryll Prew - Queen Mary's Grammar School

Disgraced former teacher Darryll Prew was banned from the classroom after having sex with a pupil and locking her half-naked in a cupboard. The 54-year-old was employed at Queen Mary's Grammar School in Walsall when allegations of sexual misconduct were made against him.

The allegations of sexual misconduct concerned his time at a different school in 2001.' The offending, described by a Judge during criminal proceedings as a 'textbook case of grooming', took place over a number of months. Prew admitted six counts of sexual activity with a child.

Peter Hoare - Three Peaks Primary Academy

Peter Hoare, a former teacher at Three Peaks Primary Academy in Tamworth, was banned from the profession after he was found to have posted 'hundreds' of sexually-explicit images and videos of himself online. He posted the content to a Twitter profile with '10,000 followers.'

The 34-year-old made the posts while he was still a teacher at the school. A Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel found him guilty of 'posting a large quantity extremely explicit content over a prolonged period of time' which amounted to unacceptable professional conduct.