Former Fakenham Academy English teacher John Spelacy banned from teaching indefinitely after helping A-Level students cheat

A secondary school teacher has been banned from teaching indefinitely for helping A-Level students cheat on their coursework.

John Spelacy, a former English teacher at Fakenham Academy, engaged in “unacceptable professional conduct” when he made amendments to pupils’ work and gave feedback and comments which went “beyond the level permitted by the AQA assessment guidelines”.

The incidents took place during the 2022 to 2023 academic year, and the teacher, who had worked at the school for 21 years, admitted the allegations before a Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel on Tuesday, September 10.

Mr Spelacy agreed that his actions showed both “dishonesty and lack of integrity” even though a letter dated January 18 of this year stated that, at the time, this did not occur to him.

He also produced a two-page letter in which he accepted the assistance he gave to students could be considered excessive and expressed regret for any difficulties he may have caused the school and its students.

Mr Spelacy then assured the panel that he would not do it again as he would adopt a more rigorous approach in the future.

The panel believed that the teacher knew that what he did went against assessment criteria, which had been provided to him on a number of occasions, and it was considered that the ordinary decent person would know that the conduct was dishonest.

In a report, the TRA found that Mr Spelacy breached the code of Teachers’ Standards, which states: “Teachers must have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school in which they teach, and maintain high standards in their own attendance and punctuality.

“Teachers must have an understanding of, and always act within, the statutory frameworks which set out their professional duties and responsibilities.”

The panel found Mr Spelacy guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and guilty of conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute.

The 58-year-old has been banned from teaching indefinitely in any school, sixth-form, college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in the country.

He will not be able to apply for this order to be lifted until September 23, 2026.

The Sapienta Education Trust, which runs Fakenham Academy, has been approached for comment.