The government has published a list naming and shaming leaders banned from running or governing schools.
Some 25 individuals have been banned since 2015 under Department for Education powers to block “unsuitable” people from managing academies and independent schools or governing maintained schools.
The DfE has now released an online list of the individuals’ names alongside the “prohibition directions” issued by ministers, setting out why they have been banned. The directions have always been published but not compiled in one place. The resource is likely to help schools, trusts and councils to check against the list while recruiting staff, trustees or members.
For individuals to receive bans, “relevant” conduct, cautions or finding against them must have occurred, and the education minister must then rule on whether it makes them unsuitable.
Examples highlighted by government include dishonesty or sexual offences, including those which happened before they became involved in running a school.
The list includes individuals involved in academy finance scandals, and others accused of undermining fundamental British values.
Sajid Husain Raza, previously principal of a flagship free school in Bradford, was jailed for his part in defrauding the government out of £69,000.
Sophie Rahman, previously head and proprietor of Eton Community School in Ilford, was banned after letting one of the London Bridge terrorists teach children.
The government has faced pressure before to show it has “teeth” in dealing with those involved in academy scandals.
Teachers banned from classrooms for misconduct under a separate regulatory regime are also separately named and shamed online by the government.
The DfE declined to comment when asked whether the list’s publication was part of any wider renewed efforts to crack down on school mismanagement.
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