'Stressed' science teacher lied about GCSE pupils' coursework grades resulting in the whole year FAILING – but is allowed to continue teaching

  • Lisa Lock submitted her pupils' results to exam board saying they had all passed
  • More than 100 pupils had not even finished the coursework for the exams
  • She let school pupils complete coursework after a strict deadline had passed
  • Told disciplinary hearing shortcuts were because she had 'too much on her plate'

By RACHAEL BURFORD FOR MAILONLINE

Published: | Updated:

Science teacher Lisa Lock, 48, submitted her pupils' results to an exam board saying they had all passed

Science teacher Lisa Lock, 48, submitted her pupils' results to an exam board saying they had all passed

A cheating teacher tried to fiddle her GCSE pupils' results - and it meant a whole year of schoolchildren failed their exam.

While teaching at the Abertillery Comprehensive School in Gwent, South Wales science teacher Lisa Lock, 48, submitted her pupils' results to an exam board saying they had all passed.

But she was caught out because more than 100 of her pupils had not even finished the coursework for the exams.

She also let teenagers into her classroom to complete coursework after a strict deadline had passed - despite being warned by her headteacher not to.

Exam board officials found out about Mrs Lock's testing shortcut and then automatically failed the whole year group of students for their Baccalaureate.

Mrs Lock told a teachers disciplinary hearing she took the testing shortcuts because she was stressed out and had 'too much on her plate'.

She was in charge of children studying the Welsh Baccalaureate which is equivalent to a GCSE.

Presenting officer Carys Williams said: 'Mrs Lock submitted to the examination board that pupils had passed the Welsh Baccalaureate when there was no evidence to support this.

'She also called pupils to her classroom to undertake work after the submission deadline, despite being told not to do so.'

Mrs Lock was suspended in June 2015 in response to the allegations. She accepted that her actions were 'unprofessional' but denied acting dishonestly, saying that she had the best interests of the students at heart.

She told the hearing, 'It was the most difficult thing I have ever done in my life and I have to say I was really struggling with it, so I went to the previous head and said that I wanted to drop it.

However Mrs Lock was told that if she did that, then she would be talking herself out of the job.

Mrs Lock told a teachers disciplinary hearing she took the testing shortcuts because she was stressed out and had 'too much on her plate'
She was in charge of children studying the Welsh Baccalaureate which is equivalent to a GCSE

Mrs Lock told a teachers disciplinary hearing she took the testing shortcuts because she was stressed out and had 'too much on her plate'

'It was becoming overarching and it was the qualification that everyone looked at,' she added.

'I spent most nights after school doing science and revision club, and also science club for the younger children.

'Ultimately I had too much on my plate and I couldn't cope with it all.'

As a result of the incorrect submissions, none of the pupils who studied the two-year module passed it.

It also could have meant that the students did not get a place in college, but luckily this problem did not arise.

Mrs Lock was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and handed a 'conditional registration order' but allowed to continue teaching.

The panel of the Education Workforce Council sitting in Cardiff banned Mrs Lock from managing exams.

 

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