Sex offenders and violent criminals are among those Kirklees and Calderdale applying to be teachers.

Among the previous convictions revealed in 2015/16 through the Disclosure and Barring Service for people applying for jobs as teachers, teaching assistants or headteachers was one for indecent behaviour by someone from Calderdale, while in the same year someone from Kirklees was found to have a conviction for indecent exposure.

In Kirklees, one application in 2015/16 showed a previous conviction for assaulting, ill-treating or neglecting a child and causing unnecessary suffering.

Also among the bad behaviour revealed in the area in 2015/16 and 2016/17 were previous convictions for arson, possessing knives in public, burglary and for causing grievous bodily harm.

Those applying for teaching roles had 20 previous convictions for drink driving, 25 for shoplifting, and nine for assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Applicants in 2016/17 also had three previous convictions for possession of drugs.

A teacher looking stressed next to piles of classroom books. Photo: PA Wire

A total of 27 applications from across Calderdale in 2016/17 were revealed to have previous convictions, out of 1,439 applications, with a total of 53 previous convictions, according to figures revealed following a Freedom of Information request. In Kirklees, 39 out of 2,036 applications showed previous convictions, with a total of 107 revealed.

The figures do not show if applicants were hired, as employers have discretion over whether to disregard some more minor offences.

However, if a person accepts a caution or receives a conviction for a ‘relevant offence’, they will be automatically barred from working in regulated activity with children and/or vulnerable adults, subject to being able to argue that they should not be banned.

It is an offence to knowingly employ a person barred by the DBS, but it is also an offence for a barred person to work or even apply to work with the vulnerable group from which they have been barred.

The figures are based on searching for the word 'teacher' in the DBS system, which will bring back any post applied for containing the word teacher and could include for example, trainee teachers, yoga teachers, swimming teachers and even headteachers.

The same applicant may have submitted more than one application in the specified time period. Results are based on the applicant’s address not the employer address.