Cornwall head teacher banned for changing exam papers

Jane Scown was head at Indian Queens School in Cornwall

A head teacher has been banned from teaching for changing the English and maths SATs exam papers of her pupils.

Jane Scown, 66, committed the offences in May 2017 while head at Indian Queens School in Cornwall.

A Teaching Conduct Panel found she changed the answers before the papers were sent off to be marked externally.

The panel found she had "acted dishonestly" and has banned her from teaching indefinitely for breaching professional standards.

Mrs Scown did not attend the hearing last month.

The offences happened over three days during May 2017 when pupils were taking assessments at the school near Newquay.

A witness told the panel "nine times out of ten" Mrs Scown would be alone with the assessments in her office to carry out the final checks and sealing of the papers.

'Acted Dishonestly'

The report upheld that she "reviewed and/or amended the answers given by pupils in the Key Stage 2 2017" and that "by her actions, Mrs Scown had, plainly, failed to adhere to the ethical and professional standards expected of her as a teacher and as a head teacher".

It also found she had "acted dishonestly".

Mrs Scown resigned as head teacher in January 2018 before Cornwall Council could complete an investigation.

The pupils affected had their SATs results annulled for English reading, English grammar, punctuation and spelling and maths

In 2017 Mrs Scown was shortlisted for Cornwall Head Teacher of the Year, although did not win the award.

The school is now part of an academy group and no longer under local authority control.