DfE issues more bans after schools scandals

Orders issued barring James Stewart, Timothy Peter Cook and Samuel Kayode from running private schools or academies
17th September 2020, 6:12pm

Three more people have been banned from running private schools or academies by the Department for Education after being involved in scandals. 


Barred: DfE prevents superhead from running schools

Scandal: Sex dungeon headteacher banned for life

Ban: Liam Nolan given teaching ban


James Stewart, former headteacher of Sawtry Village Academy, was convicted of fraud and misconduct in public office for offences between 2011 and 2014. He was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment for defrauding his school out of over £100,000, using the money to furnish a room alongside his office where he kept sex toys, rugs and a fridge filled with champagne.

Today, he was barred by the Department for Education from managing an independent school, academy or free school. He also cannot become a governor at a state school.

Also banned was Samuel Kayode, a former accountant at the Haberdashers’ Aske’s state schools, who was found guilty of obtaining £150,000 by theft and £3.95 million by fraud. Mr Kayode’s fraud was exposed when a school cleaner came across some of his paperwork and alerted the schools’ chief finance officer. He was jailed for nine years.

The DfE also banned Timothy Peter Cook from managing independent schools. A member and chair of trustees at the Heath Family (North West) multi-academy trust, he was found to have indecent images of children in his possession.

The issuing of the banning orders follows the DfE publishing two similar barring orders last week.

Former academy “superhead” Liam Nolan, who was banned from teaching for unprofessional conduct after receiving a second salary, was barred from managing any independent school, academy or free school.

The direction from the education secretary also bars him from serving as a governor in a maintained school.

The government also took action to prevent Thomas Marshall, the former head of Baverstock School, in Birmingham, from a role in the management of independent schools, free schools or academies.

He was banned from teaching for at least two years for improperly awarding contracts, including to a firm run by his mother.