A drama teacher who engaged in sexual activity at a top High Wycombe school with a former pupil has been banned from teaching for life.

Matthew McGowan, 38, who taught at Wycombe Abbey School from 2011 until he resigned last year, denied the allegations made by the girl – known only as pupil A – but a disciplinary panel said it was “more likely than not” that sexual activity did take place.

The pupil claimed that after she left the school – which costs up to £12,600 a term to attend - the pair would exchange naked photos and videos before their relationship became “very physical” around January last year, with sex acts taking place in his school office and his car.

The drama teacher did admit developing an “inappropriate” relationship with pupil A while she was still at the school and agreed that he wrote ‘Happy Valentine’s Day from a secret admirer’ in her diary in or around 2013 as well as giving her his personal email address.

He also admitted sending inappropriate emails between January and June 2015, some of which were “flirtatious”, and giving her his personal mobile number while she was still a pupil at the school.

He denied touching the pupil’s bottom, stroking her thighs and hugging her during meetings or rehearsals but the panel found that “on the balance of probabilities” there were occasions when the teacher did touch her bottom.

There was not enough evidence to prove if he stroked her thigh, but the National College of Teaching and Leadership conduct panel did find allegations that he hugged her were proven.

Mr McGowan claimed the allegations of sexual activity were made after he announced his engagement and pupil A asked him to engage in a romantic relationship which would mean him leaving his fiancée.

He said he rejected the approach and that he “decided to distance himself” from the pupil, which was a “catalyst” for her “future behaviour”.

However the panel did not find his account “convincing”, saying: “By his own account, Pupil A and he continued to meet on school premises, including his office, in January 2016 and subsequently. He also arranged to meet in a local coffee shop and spent time alone with Pupil A in his car, which is at odds with Mr McGowan's account that he distanced himself from her.”

The relationship between the pair came to light when the pupil’s mother made a complaint in July last year, prompting the school to launch an investigation. Mr McGowan resigned from the school on September 12, 2016. A police investigation was also carried out.

The school requested that the misconduct hearing, which was held on August 30 and 31 in Coventry, should take place in private to protect other pupils, but the panel decided it should be held in public.

The panel found Mr McGowan guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and despite being described in their report as a “first class teacher”, they said he had “not shown clear insight into the severity of his misconduct and its impact on Pupil A”.

Children's charity, the NSPCC, has now released a statement in response to the hearing. 

A spokesman said: “McGowan exploited his position of trust as a teacher and it is right that he has faced the consequences of his complete failure to protect and safeguard a pupil in his care.

“Teachers play a vital role in the welfare of children and young people and it is right that he is banned from a profession which would have seen him working in close proximity with teenagers on a daily basis.

“It’s vital that everyone takes responsibility for reporting inappropriate relationships between adults in positions of authority and young people in their care.”