Teacher caught pretending to be unwell in order to work at another school

A teacher has been found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct after faking an illness to his employer, only to secretly take up a position at another school.

Nadeem Ahmed deceived his colleagues at Bishop Young C of E Academy in Leeds by claiming he had fallen ill, but was found to instead be working at Bradford Academy Trust for more than three weeks during September 2023.

A Teacher Misconduct Panel determined the teacher's actions "fell significantly short of the standards expected" of the profession.

Ahmed acknowledged during a hearing last month that his behaviour had "brought teaching into disrepute".

TRENDING

Stories

Videos

Your Say

He had been employed at his original place of work since October 2020, before being offered a full-time role as Religious Education subject lead at the new school after an interview in March 2023.

When he tendered his resignation in June that year, the school informed him he had missed the cut-off date for departing at the end of term, meaning his employment would continue until December.

Ahmed expressed his desire to leave earlier, where Bishop Young Academy then agreed to release him over the summer - provided they could secure a replacement.

However, when the vacancy closed on July 11, no candidates had even applied - prompting the school to readvertise the role and issue a plea for Ahmed to stay on.

Due to return to Bishop Young Academy in September, Ahmed had already begun his new role at Bradford Academy on August 29, informing his original workplace that he was too unwell to return.

He then filed a Statutory Statement of Fitness for Work, covering the period from September 7 to October 24, in a bid to force the school's hand and get himself dismissed.

However, his scheme unravelled after he mentioned to a colleague at his new place of work that he had previously been employed at Bishop Young Academy.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• Reform council narrowly passes bill to allow Union flag to be flown on town hall all year
• Labour pledges to do 'everything within our power' to prevent another Preston Davey
• Planning row erupts as autistic man fears £20k fine over his 'life's passion'

The colleague revealed they had a friend working at that school, and it wasn't long before he was snuffed.

When the two teachers later spoke about Ahmed, they realised he remained on Bishop Young Academy's payroll.

They alerted Bradford Academy's HR department, leading to Ahmed's suspension on September 27, 2023.

Despite the serious fallout of his dishonesty, the panel determined it was "not the most serious" given the "circumstances and stress" Ahmed was said to be experiencing at the time.

The panel noted that Ahmed had not sought financial gain through his actions, but rather was "attempting to extricate himself from a predicament of his own creation", without fully considering the consequences.

A witness praised Ahmed as a dedicated teacher, highlighting his "fantastic work, commitment, honesty and reliability".

Other testimony pointed to the positive impact he had on disadvantaged pupils, "whose life prospects improved through his teaching".

David Oatley, acting for the Secretary of State, declined to impose a teaching ban, ruling that publishing the panel's findings would be "sufficient to send an appropriate message".

Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter