A former teacher at a Garston school has admitted trying to cheat the exam system in order to artificially boost his students’ marks.

Dean Thomas-Hay, formerly of Francis Combe School, which became Francis Combe Academy in September, last week admitted a string of dishonesty offences at a General Teaching Council (GTC) hearing.

Mr Thomas-Hay was sacked from the school after tampering with the work of students completing a Certificate of Personal Effectivness (CoPE) qualification.

A GTC report, released last week, showed how, in 2008, he had conspired to fool exam moderators by:

  • completing work on behalf of students
  • swapping work between students
  • staging photographs submitted to back up false claims
  • allowing students to complete work on behalf of others.

Mr Thomas-Hay admitted a total of four charges of “unacceptable professional conduct” and was given a Conditional Registration Order (CRO) by the council.

The order will prevent him from being involved in, assessing or monitoring students’ exam work without supervision. He will have to make the details of the order known to any future employer.

The council said: “Mr Hay’s conduct fell short of the standard expected of a registered teacher and was a breach of the standards of propriety expected of the profession.”

A second former teacher at the school is also due before the GTC on six charges related to Mr Thomas-Hay’s case. John Brawn, the school’s former director of curriculum, is accused not only of failing to challenge the scam, but of instructing staff to implement it.

Another teacher, who has avoided GTC sanction, was also sacked as a result of a school investigation.

Principal Nicky Williams stressed that she had taken decisive action as soon as the scam was drawn to her attention.

She told the Watford Observer: “It is obviously very uncomfortable to discover that members of staff have behaved in such a dishonest manner over the legitimacy of students’ work.

“Thankfully, however, the matter of inappropriate methods of completing coursework was reported by other members of staff and an investigation was started immediately.

“The awarding body was also informed immediately and worked closely with us to ensure that all the legitimate coursework was externally verified and all students who should have gained their qualification did so.

“I take a clear and rigorous stand on any aspects of unprofessional conduct by staff, and all three members of staff were rightly dismissed by Governors last year.”