Dunedin teacher had sexual relationship with Year 13 student

Toni Finch was a teacher at Kings High School when she began the relationship with the student last year. Photo / Supplied

A Dunedin teacher has had her registration cancelled after she had a sexual relationship with a Year 13 student.

Toni Finch was a teacher at Kings High School when she began the relationship with the student last year, a decision from the New Zealand Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal said.

Finch then resigned from the school.

The Tribunal said her actions were "serious misconduct".

"The appropriate penalties are censure, cancellation of Ms Finch's registration to teach and annotation of the teachers' register," the tribunal ruled.

The student has name suppression.

"Serious misconduct" is defined by the Education Act 1989 as conduct that adversely affected or was likely to adversely affect the well-being or learning of children, reflects adversely on the teacher's fitness to be a teacher.

"For a teacher to have a sexual relationship with a student at the school at which he or she teaches is serious misconduct at a high level," the tribunal said.

It ordered Finch to pay 40 per cent of the costs the Complaints Assessment Committee incurred bringing the charge against her.