A former King's Lynn teacher has been banned from the classroom for life for lying to school authorities.

Richard Taylor, 37, was banned on behalf of education secretary Michael Gove, after a disciplinary panel found he had been guilty of 'persistent unacceptable professional conduct'.

The National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) professional conduct panel found that on three separate occasions, over several years, Taylor behaved dishonestly in providing false information.

Taylor, who was employed at Whitefriars Primary School, in Lynn, for three years between 2002 and 2005, provided false information about his reasons for leaving Whitefriars and a school in Madrid on job applications.

Although Taylor claimed on his form he left both schools for contractual reasons, the panel said: 'It is clear that he left Whitefriars School while subject to an unresolved disciplinary investigation and that he left the Montessori School on tendering his resignation following an alleged incident in the playground with a pupil.

'On two further occasions in 2006 and 2012, on job application forms to different schools, it is alleged that he included information as to his previous teaching posts which he knew to be false. Those details related to the length of his employment at previous schools and false details concerning the reason for terminating his employment.'

Giving the final decision on behalf of the secretary of state, NCTL deputy director Alan Meyrick said: 'This is a case that involves three separate occasions on which Mr Taylor has deliberately provided false information to his current employer and two prospective future employers. The panel has concluded that Mr Taylor's behaviour has been dishonest on each occasion. In addition, the repetition amounts to a pattern of behaviour.' He said inaccurate information entered on his job application forms was 'intended to disguise gaps in his teaching record and thus enhance his prospects of obtaining employment'.

He continued: 'The Teachers' Standards require members of the profession to act with honesty and integrity and exhibit high standards in both their personal and professional lives. Mr Taylor's behaviour was dishonest and falls far below that expectation.

'I have considered both the public interest and the interest of Mr Taylor. On balance, I believe that it is in the public interest to prohibit Mr Taylor, as the panel recommends.'

Making the ban permanent, he added: 'The deliberate and repeated pattern of dishonesty in this case leads me to support the recommendation of the panel that there be no review period. Mr Taylor has not provided any evidence of insight or remorse.'

The decision means that Taylor is prohibited from teaching indefinitely in any school, sixth form college, youth accommodation or children's home in England. He has a right of appeal to the High Court.