A head of department accused of losing coursework, failing to mark it, not setting a mock exam and forging pupils’ signatures has been told he can keep teaching - as long as he is not in a managerial position.

Tony Stacey also appeared before the General Teaching Council charged with not ensuring children completed coursework, misleading his employers about the level of pupil under-achievement, failing to enter his class on the appropriate course, and not supporting them.

Mr Stacey, who taught business studies in Selston Arts and Community College in Nottingham, was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and given a conditional registration order.

He must work as a teacher for two years before applying for jobs with leadership or management responsibilities.

The problems at the school took place between April 2005 and the end of August 2006. Mr Stacey admitted failing to set the mock exam and forging the signatures. The panel said the allegations against him were proved, but said there was no evidence that he lost coursework, failed to support IT staff or failed to enter children on the right course.

Mr Stacey told the GTC panel he had health and personal difficulties at the time, and he was having trouble in his role as head of department.

However the GTC panel concluded that it was “clearly of the view that for any teacher to act in a dishonest manner is a serious matter and we have considered this aspect carefully.

“This is a case where the actions of Mr Stacey have been seriously detrimental to the reputation of the profession and have caused considerable difficulties both to pupils and the school.

“We have evidence before us that Mr Stacey is capable of operating as an effective teacher and we have taken into account the evidence of his teaching ability both before and after his period at Selston Arts and Community College. We have concluded that the failings of Mr Stacey which led to the proven facts arise from his inability to meet the requirements of team leadership in a school.”

The panel also ordered Mr Stacey to undergo leadership training.

- In a separate case, a teacher convicted of harassment has been temporarily banned from teaching. Michael Williams was ordered to do unpaid work after admitting the offence, against a woman teacher, at Central Hertfordshire Magistrates Court in January 2008.

He pleaded guilty to harassment between June 2006 and October 2007. He was given a suspension order, which will expire on July 31, 2010.

“We have been concerned by Mr Williams’s behaviour and note that the offence of which he was convicted is very serious,” the GTC panel said.

EXAM INDISCRETION WAS A ‘ONE OFF’

A grammar school teacher who gave confidential information to a pupil about an exam he was conducting has been reprimanded by the GTC.

Michael Joyce made the comments to “pupil A” just before her AS French oral exam in January this year while working at Bury Grammar School for Girls.

Mr Joyce admitted the offence and told the GTC he realised his conduct was unacceptable and that he had volunteered the information. His reprimand order will stay on his record for two years.

The panel said Mr Joyce had shown “insight” into his actions and concluded this was a “one off” in a long career.

“Mr Joyce’s conduct has the potential to bring the profession into disrepute as well as potentially undermining the integrity of the school as an examination centre. His conduct falls short of the standard expected of the profession,” they said.

“Mr Joyce’s conduct (also) had the potential to affect the examination performance of Pupil A.”