Lifetime ban for ex-Heysham school teacher found guilty of sex crimes with pupil

Nicola Furney was handed a 21 week jail sentence in 2021 after she pleaded guilty to two counts of engaging in sexual activity with a girl under the age of 18 years old and one count of engaging in sexual communication with a child.

Furney had already been sacked by Heysham High School - now known as Bay Leadership Academy - ahead of the sentencing hearing.

Reports at the time of her conviction heard that she touched the child's leg after offering her a lift in her car, and admitted kissing her in another incident at her home.

Furney, 39, received further sanction in July as the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) issued her with an indefinite ban from the profession.

That means she will never be allowed to teach in any school, sixth form college, youth accommodation or children’s home in England and will not be allowed to apply to restore her eligibility.

The TRA investigation heard that Furney was employed as Head of Year and part-team teacher at Bay Leadership Academy and worked there between September 2007 and June 2021.

The illegal relationship came to light in August 2020 when a complaint was made to the police by a former pupil relating to offences from several years earlier.

Explaining its decision to issue the ban, the TRA panel found that the seriousness of the offending behaviour that led to the conviction was relevant to Miss Furney's ongoing suitability to teach.

The panel’s findings against Miss Furney involved convictions for sexual activity and sexual communication with a child, as a result there was a strong public interest consideration in respect of the safeguarding and wellbeing of pupils.

Accordingly, the panel made a recommendation to the Secretary of State that a prohibition order should be imposed with immediate effect with no provision for a review period.

In 2021, Furney - then of Marine Road West - was made to sign the Sex Offender's Register for seven years.

She was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention order for the same length of time.