A MUSIC teacher has been banned from teaching after a panel found she had misrepresented students' work in order to boost their grades.

Allison Brown, 54, was the lead music teacher Richmond School in North Yorkshire when allegations emerged that she prepared GCSE assessment work on behalf of some students.

Ms Allison, who was employed at the school between May 2015 and November 2017, did not attend the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel which sat in Coventry to examine her actions.

In her absence, the panel heard that Ms Brown submitted a piece of piano music on behalf of a student which was said to have been played with both hands by the pupil.

However, when the matter was investigated, the girl said she was left handed and had played the right hand passage of the piece with her left hand and had never used both hands.

Also there were two instances of music attributed to students which they said they had not played.

Ms Brown said that she had made errors in her attribution of those pieces to the students concerned.

In recommending that she should be struck off, the panel said Ms Brown did not acknowledge the impact of the misconduct on students and colleagues.

The panel also found the teacher had “not demonstrated insight or expressed remorse.”

The TRA branded Ms Brown's actions as a breach of ethical standards, dishonest and lacking in integrity.

They held it was unacceptable conduct which could bring the teaching profession into disrepute and banned her from teaching indefinitely, although she can apply to have the ban lifted after two years.

Imposing the ban on behalf of Education Secretary, Damian Hinds, TRA chief executive and decision maker, Alan Meyrick said he had taken into account the panel’s comments on insight and remorse.

He said: “In my judgement, the lack of insight means that despite the action of the exam board, there is some risk of the repetition of this behaviour.

"I have therefore given this element considerable weight in reaching my decision.”

Following the panel's decision, the headteacher of Richmond School, Jenna Potter, said: "Whilst I cannot comment on current or former members of staff in the media, I can confirm that the appropriate policies are implemented in response to matters such as this and a fair process followed.”