A TEACHER found guilty of false representation while teaching at an Ascot school has been banned from the profession for life by a conduct panel. 

Abdul Qayoom taught English at independent school Hurst Lodge but has been now been banned indefinitely after a a professional conduct panel ruled he had breached fundamental elements of teaching standards by submitting false references to four separate schools. 

The 38-year-old worked at Berkshire schools in 2012 and 2013 and was found guilty of four counts of false representation by a jury at Reading Crown Court in February 2015 and sentenced to an 18 month suspended prison sentence and forced to pay compensation of £3,500. 

Meeting on March 14 and 15, the panel ruled Qayoom's actions signalled a risk to public confidence in teaching, disrupted pupils' education and caused a reputational risk to the schools he defrauded. 

Despite hearing references to Mr Qayoom's good character, the panel said: "Honesty is a fundamental tenet of the teaching profession. Pupils and parents should be able to trust that the teachers they encounter have provided accurate information relating to their previous working history to the school at which they teach. 

"Mr Qayoom’s convictions for providing false references to four different institutions and acting dishonestly, is in the panel’s view, a fundamental breach of the Teachers’ Standards."

The panel noted the teacher's previous good character and the fact that he had lost a relative four to five months before he falsified his references when applying to two jobs. 

A reference during court proceedings said that "at a classroom level" Mr Qayoom was a good teacher who helped improve student's achievement.

However the panel decided public confidence would be weakened if his conduct was not treated with "upmost seriousness".

The decision was supported by the secretary of state, speaking on their behalf Alan Meyrick said: "Mr Abdul Qayoom is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.

"Furthermore, in view of the seriousness of the allegations found proved against him, I have decided that Mr Abdul Qayoom shall not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach."