Former students say they were ‘let down’ by teacher’s dishonest grading

In a statement to the BBC, the trust said: “East Midlands Education Trust and Joseph Whitaker School take the experiences of these students and their families extremely seriously, and we are genuinely sorry for the disruption and pressure they faced in the final months of their studies.

“As soon as concerns about coursework were identified, the school launched a thorough investigation, working alongside the exam board.

“This meant asking students to resubmit and complete coursework in a short period, at an already stressful point in the school year. We recognise how difficult this was, and staff worked hard to give students the best possible chance of completing their qualification.

“Because the matter was subject to an ongoing investigation and disciplinary process, and a live exam board inquiry, we could not publicly confirm details at the time. We understand this was frustrating for students and parents, and senior staff met with parents directly to talk through the situation.

“The findings of the Teaching Regulation Agency confirm this was the result of one individual’s serious and deliberate misconduct.

“There is no excuse for what happened, and we are sorry for the impact it had on these students at such a critical stage of their education. The school’s swift response ensured that, despite an extremely difficult situation, every affected student was able to complete their qualification.”