Banned: Oldbury teacher changed exam grades of pupils because he didn't want them to 'lose out'

Pardeep Lahel, the former head of IT and Business Studies at Perryfields Academy, which forms part of the Broadleaf Partnership Trust, was accused of increasing the grades of around 113 pupils at the secondary school last year.

He was further accused of creating grades for around 119 school goers and submitting work to exam boards that did not belong to the named students.

The 45-year-old admitted all of the allegations made against him - which occurred between May and June 2023 - to a Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel in November.

Mr Lahel was suspended from the school on June 8, 2023, and a disciplinary meeting was held a few weeks later on July 21 which he did not attend. His employment also ceased on this day.

The former teacher was consequently referred to the TRA in October 2023.

Among the data Mr Lahel had changed was in relation to students sitting the Pearson Business and Enterprise exam. He created grades for around 11 of these school goers who did not have grades recorded.

Mr Lahel admitted to the TRA that on on June 8, 2023, he met with a member of staff at the Oldacre Road school to discuss concerns in relation to the coursework of students.

During that meeting he said he didn't want any of the students to "lose out" because of the teaching and learning, a report of the TRA panel stated.

He also accepted that during an investigatory meeting on June 26, 2023, he stated that student results were "really low" and there was pressure on Year 10 and 11 to achieve better grades, the report added.

The panel described Mr Lahel's actions as "deliberate" and said there was "no evidence" to suggest he was acting under extreme duress such as physical threat.

It added: "Mr Lahel stated that since starting at the school there had been lots of pressure with results, impact on progress and students, there were lots of 'U' grades. 

"No evidence was presented to the panel that explained this further, save that Mr Lahel’s mitigation statement referred to his regret at not having familiarised himself with whistleblowing systems, having highlighted concerns via email but not having pursued them.

"Mr Lahel’s representative clarified that Mr Lahel was not seeking to apportion blame to any individual person, and instead was suggesting that he should have been more aware of the need to speak out about overall pressures he was under at an earlier stage, rather than taking the actions he had."

Acting on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education, TRA decision maker Marc Cavey handed Mr Lahel a three-year prohibition order from teaching. 

It means he is banned from teaching and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.

Mr Lahel can apply for the prohibition order to be set aside but not until December 8, 2027, at the earliest.

The Express & Star has contacted the Broadleaf Partnership Trust for comment.