Teacher who altered BTec coursework banned
Getty ImagesA teacher has been banned from the profession after a misconduct panel found he edited BTec pupils' coursework.
Sai Krishnan Santhosh Kumar, a teacher at Meadow Park School in Whitley, Coventry, altered and even created coursework, affecting 23 students, in December 2024.
The panel found in some cases he produced entire PowerPoint presentations himself, including one for pupil - known as Pupil E - who did not recognise the presentation when it was loaded for their assessment.
Kumar was suspended from his role as ICT teacher at the school on 13 January 2025 and resigned seven days later.
His actions were found after a witness to a live assessment recording realised Pupil E failed to recognise their own presentation.
The witness looked into the PowerPoint further and found Kumar's initials appeared within the presentation - and he was in the process of editing it.
Following an internal investigation, Kumar was found to have accessed folders and made amendments to 23 students' work.
All the students were interviewed and signed questionnaires to say they were not aware of the amendments.
Kumar said he thought he was providing support that was permissible.
The report said: "The panel rejected Mr Kumar's assertion that his genuine belief was that by amending and adding to pupils' work he was providing permissible support.
"Kumar appeared to acknowledge that he had received PSA guidance and was aware that the coursework was an assessed part of the qualification.
"However, in his evidence to the panel, Mr Kumar accepted that he had received the guidance but denied that he had read it and denied that he was aware that the entirety of the coursework would be assessed."
A prohibition order, banning Kumar from the profession, was put into place by the Teaching Regulation Agency in July. Kumar can appeal against the decision, but only after three years.
The panel found his behaviour was dishonest, lacked integrity and amounted to unacceptable professional conduct.
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