Perth High School history teacher struck off after completing National 4 assessments herself

A history teacher who completed pupil coursework by herself before handing it over for marking by a colleague has been struck off.

Natasha Sturrock was branded “dishonest” after claiming National 4 tests that she had filled in were actually the work of her students at Perth High School.

She also failed to provide “sufficient evidence” that other youngsters had met the standard for National 5 and Higher passing grades.

A General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) panel deemed her actions were “lacking in integrity” following a hearing over a request for removal order.

Sturrock admitted both of the allegations, which occurred between August 2017 and June 2019 and during the 2017-2018 academic year respectively.

She made a request to be removed from the GTCS register of teachers, leading to an immediate ban and prohibition from applying to rejoin for at least two years.

The panel ruled her “fitness to teach is impaired and she is unfit to teach” after signing off on the order.

She also fraudulently informed her colleague that pupils had completed the work by themselves.

The GTCS ruling added: “The teacher’s actions were dishonest in that the teacher sought to represent that the pupils had completed the work when this was not the case.

“The teacher’s actions were lacking in integrity.”

It remains unclear whether pupils affected will be required to resit exams or have their grades stripped as a result.

A spokesperson for Perth and Kinross Council said: “We do not comment on individual members of staff.”