Former Sheffield teacher spared ban over 'maladminstration of public examination'

Andrew Wall was working at Outwood Academy City, where he had taught history since 2004, when he provided a copy of one student's controlled assessment to at least one other pupil during the 2015/16 academic year.

He failed to ensure that pupil or pupils completed the assessment under direct teacher supervision, and he allowed the marks - which counted towards GCSE grades - to be submitted without being able to confirm whether the work was their own.

In doing so, he contravened the exam board guidelines and acted dishonestly and with a lack of professional integrity, a disciplinary panel found.

Mr Wall admitted all the allegations, and a panel from the National College for Teaching and Leadership found him guilty of 'unacceptable professional conduct' which it said may bring the profession into disrepute.

But it decided a teaching ban was unnecessary as his misdeeds were at the less serious end of the scale and the publication of the adverse findings was sufficient to send an 'appropriate message' that his behaviour was not acceptable.

Mr Wall admitted knowing his actions, which amounted to 'maladministration of a public examination', were wrong.

But the panel heard how he had a previously 'excellent' record as a teacher and his actions were an 'aberration in an otherwise unblemished carer'.

It also found he had not acted to benefit himself but to provide further opportunities to the 'challenging' pupils he assisted.

His current employer and former colleagues at Outwood Academy City, on Stradbroke Road, described him as an 'extremely effective' and 'committed' teacher, who ran after-school revision sessions and additional support classes in his own time.

The panel accepted his actions had been an 'error of judgement', which it was satisfied would not be repeated.

Its recommendation that no ban be imposed was accepted by an officer acting on behalf of education secretary Justine Greening.