Tewkesbury PE teacher struck off for faked pupil sports course certificates

Williams worked at Alderman Knights Special School in Tewkesbury

A PE teacher who falsified his pupils' sports course certificates using forged signatures has been struck off.

Richard Williams, who worked at Alderman Knight Special School in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, admitted the allegations against him.

A Teacher Misconduct Panel heard he did not register pupils or submit their work for the nationally recognised Sport Leaders UK qualification in 2019.

Alderman Knight School has welcomed the panel's decision.

Pupils were led to believe their work had been submitted and they had completed and gained the qualification but in fact none of them had been registered on the course.

They were also given falsified certificates with forged signatures on one or more certificates.

The decision notice from the panel said his actions were a "serious failing".

"Further, when matters came to light, rather than being candid and admitting what had been taking place, Mr Williams forged certificates in an attempt to conceal his conduct," it said.

"The panel considered that the dishonesty was not an isolated incident but that it took place over a period of time and then was aggravated by the attempt to conceal it."

A spokesperson for Alderman Knight School said the decision of the panel recognised the seriousness of his actions and the impact it had on its pupils.

Mr Williams has been banned from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, youth accommodation or children's home in England.

He has also been barred from applying for restoration of his eligibility to teach due to the seriousness of the allegations that were proven against him.

He has 28 days to appeal against the decision.