A TEACHER at a Cranbrook secondary school sent obscene text messages to sixth-formers in a bid to lure them into having sex with him.

Joe Cornwall, 29, a PE teacher at Angley School, has been warned he faces jail after admitting the offences at Maidstone Crown Court.

He pleaded guilty on January 20 to three charges of inciting two teenage girl pupils to engage in sexual activity with him.

The offences took place between September and December 2010.

As he adjourned Cornwall's sentencing, Judge Philip St John-Stevens warned him: "A custodial sentence may well follow. They are very serious offences."

He will have to sign the sex offenders register.

Cornwall is currently suspended from Angley, a situation imposed following his arrest in January last year.

While working at Angley, Cornwall lived in Maidstone, but he now lives at Forewood Rise in Crowhurst, East Sussex.

The court was told that Cornwall sent a string of sexually-provocative messages to two girls in the sixth form who have now left the school.

Prosecuting, Martin Yale said Cornwall had referred to his private parts when they had talked, and added that one of the girls said Cornwall had suggested meeting up for some "fun".

However, not all the exchanges were as forthright. One girl had described his messages as being more subtle.

Defending Cornwall, Crispian Cartwright said the offences his client had been charged with were "unusual".

Although the girls involved were over 16, he said the communications were childish.

He continued: "Frankly, this was an absolutely puerile and unprofessional course of conduct, as he rightly accedes.

"He accepts there was a series of unlawful, as the law stands, communications with both these girls. He accepts the overall picture."

Cornwall was granted bail ahead of reappearing at court on February 20 for sentencing.

Both Angley School and Kent County Council refused to comment this week.

It is the latest blow for the school, which has spent the past year working hard to improve its standards and reputation.

In 2010, Ofsted inspectors gave it notice to improve – a formal warning demanding changes.

The Hayesbrook School in Tonbridge was drafted in to help Angley and executive head teacher Debbie Coslett has been running both schools.

In November, inspectors praised the school's progress and said it was now delivering a "satisfactory" standard of education.

The school is now considering becoming an academy and, as part of the improvement programme, it has been agreed that Hayesbrook should sponsor Angley in its bid. The school is currently undersubscribed, with almost 300 spare places.