A head teacher has been banned from the country’s classrooms for life after her handling of major examinations resulted in many pupils having their results annulled.

Alyson Smith, 53, who was head of the Phoenix Junior Academy in Glencoe Road, Chatham, was said to have breached exam rules to try to ensure her pupils achieved good grades.

She was found guilty by a teachers disciplinary panel of “serious dishonesty” in respect of the SATs examinations.

The National College of Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) panel, which dealt with the case in Coventry in the absence of Ms Smith, who was head teacher at the school from June 2013 to August 2015, found she had committed a lengthy string of breaches of the rules in respect of the examinations.

These included: going through test questions beforehand with pupils, assisting pupils inappropriately in respect of the exams, asking staff to breach rules relating to SATs papers and wrongly reviewing test papers herself beforehand.

The NCTL panel found that she had “acted dishonestly,” had failed to comply with the Standards and Testing Agency’s guidance, and was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct which could bring the teaching profession into disrepute.

In their nearly 9,000 word decision they say: “The panel considers that the dishonesty in this case was serious as Ms Smith implemented a sustained and systematic plan to subvert the integrity of a national public examination and directed others to assist her.

“The allocation of pupil groups and invigilators, the daily changing of pupil groups based on Ms Smith’s marking and review of each of their SATs papers, the coaching of pupils based on prior knowledge of the examination papers and the additional assistance provided during the examinations, all facilitated targeted intervention to inappropriately increase the proportion of pupils achieving level 4.

“This was enhanced by Ms Smith’s attempts to conceal two pupils’ SATs papers which Ms Smith deemed to have fallen below the required standard.”

The findings say that, as a result of her actions the exam results of a number of pupils were annulled.

When teachers are stuck off as a result of NCTL findings the way is invariably left open for them to apply after several years to have the ban lifted.

But in this case Jayne Millions, NCTL head of teacher misconduct, imposing the ban on behalf of Education Secretary, Justine Greening said the case was so serious that Ms Smith should be banned permanently.

She said: “A whole cohort of pupils, who had spent many hours preparing for their SATs exams had their results annulled.”

And she continued : “This was a very serious case of exam maladministration. Ms Smith’s conduct would have caused significant disappointment, concern and distress to pupils and had the potential to disadvantage their future education. The panel found that teachers and others talked of their distress at being put in this situation.

“This was serious dishonesty in a school setting. Ms Smith implemented a sustained and systematic plan to subvert the integrity of a national public examination and directed others to assist her.”

She added : “The panel is of the view that Ms Smith showed limited insight into the impact of her actions and continues to do so.”

It is open to Ms Smith to mount a High Court challenge to the decision and the ban.

Peter Sears, head teacher of Phoenix Junior Academy, said: “Following an incident in May 2015, the Trust completed a rigorous investigation. From the findings of the Trusts investigation Ms Smith was dismissed immediately, the NCTL then completed an investigation and hearing on the matter in September this year.

“Since that time the school has grown in strength, and completed a full review of procedures relating to the incident in May 2015. We were visited in October 2015 by the DFE who were satisfied with the way the school handled the issue and remarked on the changes already being made at the school.

"In May 2016 Ofsted visited the school and rated us as Good in every area, stating ‘That this is a rapidly improved school, and that the children are making good progress and that all staff have high aspirations for the children’.

“This has been a difficult time for everyone involved and I would like to thank the staff and parents of the school for their support and understanding.”