A teacher has been banned from the classroom after claiming to be off sick - only to be found teaching in another school.

Liam Buckley, 53, who taught at Hope View School in Chilham “repeatedly lied to colleagues” about his whereabouts, a Teaching Regulation Agency disciplinary hearing heard.

The panel found Buckley guilty of “unacceptable professional conduct” and prohibited him indefinitely from UK classrooms.

Buckley told Hope View School colleagues he was unwell in early January, however he was discovered working at London's Wapping High School from January 3, the panel heard.

Buckley claimed he had sent a resignation letter to the Chilham school, but the panel's findings noted it hadn't been seen by management.

The panel said: “We do not find credible Mr Buckley's assertion that he had ‘resigned from Hope View School last year in an impeccably professional way’ and had formally informed the school that he was not intending to return.”

“We have found that Mr Buckley lied to his colleagues and to the senior manager, who was in charge of monitoring sickness absence at Hope View School when he stated to them by text message that he was ill in early January 2018 and could not attend the School when he was in fact working at Wapping High School.

"Mr Buckley clearly acted dishonestly in this regard."

It continued: "He knew he was not ill and he knew that he continued to be employed by Hope View School and the school was therefore expecting him to return to teach in January 2018, as he had prior to Christmas 2017.

"He quite deliberately took up a post at Wapping High School and lied to his colleagues at Hope View School."

On reviewing the findings which run to more than 4,700 words, the Coventry based panel ruled Buckley “repeatedly lied” to colleagues.

Chief TRA decision maker Alan Meyrick, who imposed the ban on behalf of Education Secretary Damian Hinds, added: "I have concluded that a prohibition order is proportionate and in the public interest."

The November 20 hearing heard Buckley can apply to lift the ban after three years, however he must convince a TRA panel he is fit to teach.

Mr Meyrick continued: “This is not an automatic right to have the prohibition order removed.

"If he does apply, a panel will meet to consider whether the prohibition order should be set aside.

"Without a successful application, Mr Liam Buckley remains prohibited from teaching indefinitely.”

The hearing cleared Buckley of an allegation that he had attempted to claim sick pay while working elsewhere.