Dudley GCSE students' art work was ‘done by teacher’

A leaked email, seen by the Express & Star, says a teacher at Summerhill School in Kingswinford had ‘stepped beyond the boundaries’ and completed some of the GCSE coursework.

It now means that the art students cannot submit the work that they have completed over an 18-month period.

They are now being offered additional sessions over the next six weeks to complete new coursework after the exam board ruled that their current work wouldn’t be accepted.

Dudley Council, which runs the school, refused to say if the teacher involved had been suspended.

But an email penned by Deanne Fishbourne, a senior manager at the council for people directorate, said that in a meeting between the school and Year 11 pupils, it ‘became clear’ that the teacher had ‘stepped beyond the boundaries’ and ‘done some of the pupils’ art coursework for them’.

Headteacher James Bowkett said: “Understandably this is extremely upsetting for those pupils affected, who have worked so hard for the past 18 months, and we are extremely sorry this has happened.

“Unfortunately following a school investigation it was found there may have been irregularities in how some of the GCSE coursework had been created.

“The exam board has since indicated it will not accept the submission of any of the class’s coursework towards the final grade.

“We will be doing all we can to support them.”

Councillor Paul Brothwood, leader of the Dudley UKIP Group, said the issue was raised by students, prompting the school to carry out an investigation.

He has now called for a public meeting over the matter.

He said: “I have called a public meeting that will be open and transparent and allow parents affected to express their concerns.

“We don’t want this to be hidden between private and secret meetings. A lot of people including governors need to be held to account.

“It is a lot to ask of the students in a short period of time.”