Miss Megan Lanning

The Secretary of State does not make these decisions themselves. They are made by a senior official on the recommendation of an independent panel.

Teacher's name: Miss Megan Lanning

Teacher reference number: 2287971

Teacher's date of birth: 5 October 1988

Location teacher worked: Rochester, South East England

Date of professional conduct panel: 3 April 2025

Outcome type: Prohibition order

Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with The Teacher's’ Disciplinary (England) Regulations 2012, a professional conduct panel was convened to consider the case of Miss Megan Lanning formerly employed in Rochester, South East England.

Teacher misconduct

Ground Floor, South

Cheylesmore House

5 Quinton RoadCoventryCV1 2WT

Email TRA.Casework@education.gov.uk

Telephone 020 7593 5393

Information about regulating the teaching profession and the process for dealing with serious teacher misconduct.

Miss Megan Lanning: Professional conduct panel meeting outcome Panel decision and reasons on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education April 2025 2 Contents Introduction 3 Allegations 4 Preliminary applications 4 Summary of evidence 4 Documents 4 Statement of agreed facts 5 Decision and reasons 5 Findings of fact 6 Panel’s recommendation to the Secretary of State 11 Decision and reasons on behalf of the Secretary of State 16 3 Professional conduct panel decision and recommendations, and decision on behalf of the Secretary of State Teacher: Miss Megan Lanning Teacher ref number: 2287971 Teacher date of birth: 5 October 1988 TRA reference: 23603 Date of determination: 3 April 2025 Former employer: Ripplevale School and College Rochester Introduction A professional conduct panel (“the panel”) of the Teaching Regulation Agency (“the TRA”) convened on 3 April 2025 by way of a virtual meeting, to consider the case of Miss Megan Lanning. The panel members were Mr Alan Wells (former teacher panellist – in the chair), Mrs Georgina Bean (teacher panellist) and Mrs Jayne Bamford (lay panellist). The legal adviser to the panel was Ms Natalie Kent of Birketts LLP Solicitors. In advance of the meeting, after taking into consideration the public interest and the interests of justice, the TRA agreed to a request from Miss Lanning that the allegations be considered without a hearing. Miss Lanning provided a signed statement of agreed facts and admitted unacceptable professional conduct and/or conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute. The panel considered the case at a meeting without the attendance of the presenting officer Ms Kiera Riddy of Browne Jacobson LLP, Miss Lanning or any representative for Miss Lanning. The meeting took place in private. 4 Allegations The panel considered the allegations set out in the notice of meeting dated 13 January 2025. It was alleged that Miss Lanning was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and/or conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute, in that whilst employed as a teacher of performing arts and music at Ripplevale School and College between 3 January 2018 and 19 March 2024: 1. She engaged in and/or developed an inappropriate relationship with Pupil A, by; a. Sharing personal contact details with Pupil A; b. Communicating with Pupil A; i. Via social media and/or personal contact details; ii. Outside of school hours; c. Sending one or more images of her to Pupil A in a state of undress and/or engaging in an sexual act; d. Providing one or more gifts to Pupil A; e. Informing Pupil A that she had feelings for them. 2. Her conduct as may be found proven at allegation 1 above was conduct of a sexual nature and/or was sexually motivated. The panel noted that Miss Lanning admitted the particulars of allegations 1(a), 1(b), 1(c), 1(d), 1(e) and 2, as set out in the statement of agreed facts, signed by Miss Lanning on 16 December 2024. Preliminary applications There were no preliminary applications. Summary of evidence Documents In advance of the hearing, the panel received a bundle of documents which included: Section 1: Chronology – page 5 5 Section 2: Notice of proceedings and response – pages 7 to 25 Section 3: Statement of agreed facts and presenting officer representations – pages 27 to 33 Section 4: TRA documents – pages 35 to 314 Section 5: Teacher documents – pages 317 to 345 The panel members confirmed that they had read all of the documents within the bundle, in advance of the hearing. In the consideration of this case, the panel had regard to the document Teacher misconduct: Disciplinary procedures for the teaching profession 2020, (the “Procedures”). Statement of agreed facts The panel considered a statement of agreed facts which was signed by Miss Lanning on 16 December 2024. Decision and reasons The panel announced its decision and reasons as follows: The panel carefully considered the case before it and reached a decision. In advance of the meeting the TRA agreed to a request from Miss Lanning for the allegations to be considered without a hearing. The panel had the ability to direct that the case be considered at a hearing if required in the interests of justice or in the public interest. The panel did not determine that such a direction was necessary or appropriate in this case. Miss Lanning began her role as a teacher at Ripplevale School and College (‘the School’) on 3 January 2018. On 12 February 2024, Miss Lanning reported to the safeguarding team that she felt inappropriate feelings towards Pupil A, who had [REDACTED]. In an email, Miss Lanning admitted that she had been communicating with Pupil A via phone and social media, and that she had sent two naked pictures to Pupil A. The matter was referred to the TRA on 19 April 2024. 6 Findings of fact The findings of fact are as follows: The panel found the following particulars of the allegations against you proved, for these reasons: 1. You engaged in and/or developed an inappropriate relationship with Pupil A, by; a. Sharing personal contact details with Pupil A; b. Communicating with Pupil A; i. Via social media and/or personal contact details; ii. Outside of school hours; The panel noted that Miss Lanning admitted this allegation in its entirety. Notwithstanding this, the panel considered the evidence before it and came to a conclusion. The panel noted that the bundle did not contain copies of the emails or social media messages which had been exchanged between Miss Lanning and Pupil A but noted that this had been self-declared by Miss Lanning. The panel considered the initial witness statement obtained from Pupil A dated 21 February 2024, who stated that they had been messaging Miss Lanning on Instagram and talking on the telephone and that this started on the Friday [REDACTED]. They stated that Miss Lanning had played a song to them which she played on the last Friday [REDACTED], on a voice recording on her phone and that she played it through the headphones. Pupil A stated that the first time that Miss Lanning contacted them was on the Friday evening after they [REDACTED] and that it had only been through Instagram and text messages that they had communicated. The panel therefore accepted that in order for this to have happened, Miss Lanning must have shared her personal contact details with Pupil A. Pupil A stated that Miss Lanning first called them in the evening on 8 February 2024 and that they were on the phone a lot and for some time they were just generally catching up and talking about what they were up to and a little bit about their feelings for each other, but the last time they had spoken was the Tuesday in half term. Pupil A stated that they had 4 to 5 calls with Miss Lanning and that they normally texted first to check that neither of them were busy and that they could speak and then one of them would call and it was generally “50/50 and not one more than the other”. 7 Pupil A said that they were surprised after the song was played to them and that obviously they were not expecting what Miss Lanning said but that it was nice to know that she felt the same way. The panel considered the initial witness statement obtained from Witness A dated 12 February 2024. Witness A stated that Miss Lanning told her she needed to report herself and explained that she had exchanged mobile numbers with Pupil A, who had [REDACTED] and that she had been speaking to them and had strong feelings for them. The panel considered the information that was gathered from a statement Miss Lanning sent to Individual A, the headteacher and the safeguarding lead. Miss Lanning stated that she spent a lot of time on the phone with Pupil A, into the night at times. She stated that after [REDACTED], she had received an email from Pupil A and she had emailed back. Pupil A then told Miss Lanning that they were going to miss her. Miss Lanning further explained that the messaging moved onto Instagram later that evening. Miss Lanning stated that Pupil A told her that they hoped she would find them on social media and then asked if they could exchange numbers the next day. Miss Lanning stated that for the week after that, she and Pupil A had a few long phone calls chatting about their new job, and about music and songwriting, and they messaged every day. The panel found allegations 1(a) and 1(b) proven. The panel further found that this amounted to engaging in or developing an inappropriate relationship with Pupil A. c. Sending one or more images of you to Pupil A in a state of undress and/or engaging in an sexual act; The panel noted that Miss Lanning admitted this allegation in its entirety. Notwithstanding this, the panel considered the evidence before it and came to a conclusion. The panel considered the initial witness statement obtained from Pupil A dated 21 February 2024, who stated that they and Miss Lanning had shared photographs between them and that they had received pictures of Miss Lanning with no clothes on. The panel considered the information that was gathered from a statement Miss Lanning sent to Individual A. Miss Lanning stated that she sent two pictures to Pupil A and in the first she was “half naked showing her boobs” and in the second she did not have leggings on and “her bottom half area was covered with her hand but this could possibly be seen as her performing a sexual act”. Miss Lanning stated that she did not receive any pictures from Pupil A and did not ask for any. The panel found allegation 1(c) proven. The panel further found that this amounted to engaging in or developing an inappropriate relationship with Pupil A. d. Providing one or more gifts to Pupil A; 8 The panel noted that Miss Lanning admitted this allegation in its entirety. Notwithstanding thi