Sarah Barton banned from classroom for life after admitting to charges of sexual misconduct against a female student
Married teacher Sarah Barton has been banned from the classroom for life after taking a female pupil from Essex in the British midlands to London’s West End to watch Matilda, the musical. It was an overnight trip and she later had sex with the 17-year-old in her hotel room.
The drama teacher at an Essex high school, also had sex with the catholic schoolgirl in fields and even in her car, later bragging to friends.
Appearing before a disciplinary panel, Barton, 37, admitted to having sex with the girl in a hotel after arranging a trip to the theater in London to watch the beloved Roald Dahl play.
Mother-of-two Barton was told she will never teach again after admitting 12 counts of misconduct at a National College for Teaching & Leadership disciplinary panel in July.
The panel heard that Barton had struck up a friendship with the girl and quickly the pair were regularly meeting in private. Barton would later brag to friends that she had slept with convent schoolgirl.
Barton had sex with the girl in the hotel, her car, and in the fields
![Barton, who is married to Gareth Barton [photo], taught at a high school in Essex, had initially struck up a friendship with the girl.jpg](https://i0.wp.com/konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/barton-who-is-married-to-gareth-barton-photo-taught-at-a-high-school-in-essex-had-initially-struck-up-a-friendship-with-the-girl.jpg?resize=620%2C510&ssl=1)
Sarah Barton’s husband Gareth Barton with the couple’s two children [photo], Gareth said he is standing by his wife
‘We acknowledge that student A’s parents gave their permission for their daughter to be in your car.
‘However, this permission must clearly only have been given on the basis that there was a legitimate student-teacher relationship between you and their daughter.’
Despite being told by pals not to take the pupil on the overnight trip, Barton took the youngster to the theater last June – and even spent the night in the hotel.
He added: ‘Regardless of who actually organised this trip to Matilda, it took place in June 2016 when your relationship with student A had been developing for some time.
‘This was clearly inappropriate.’
Barton took the student to see Matilda the musical on the night she assaulted her in the hotelBarton admitted that she had failed to maintain boundaries and abused her position of trust by having an inappropriate relationship with Pupil A, in that she contacted them by telephone, met with them in her school office and kissed the pupil.
She admitted to taking the student to see the musical Matilda in London during half term, booking a hotel and having sex with the her.
She also told the panel how she had attended the student’s parents’ house and attended their birthday party.
Gareth and Sarah Barton [photo] went on holiday a week and a half ago. They are staying together through the ordeal, according to neighbors
Barton worked at the Essex school from September 2007 to July 2016 where she worked as a drama teacher and then served as head of department for drama and dance.
In recommending Barton be prohibited from teacher Mr Tweedle said: ‘Whilst there was no evidence that Mrs Barton’s actions began in any deliberate manner, in light of the length of time that the relationship developed and the emotional benefit gained by Mrs Barton, the panel had to conclude there was planning by her to some degree.’
Alan Meyrick, who decides on teacher misconduct cases on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education, said: ‘I am therefore taking the decision to impose a prohibition order with a provision for an application to be made to set the order aside after a minimum of five years.
The order means that Mrs Sarah Barton is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.
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