A south east London teacher is still allowed to teach after being reviewed by the professional conduct panel due to lying about criminal convictions.

On October 3, 2018, Ms Esther Adejumo was convicted of two offences in relation to making a false statement or representation to obtain benefits on June 2, 2014.

During the panel, Ms Adejumo said that she believed these convictions “didn’t relate to what she was doing as a teacher”.

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In September 2020, she was hired as a trainee teacher of science at Bexleyheath Academy but did not disclose her prior convictions.

The September of the following year, Ms Adejumo applied to be a science teacher at Gad's Hill School.

Within the application form, she claimed not to have any criminal convictions.

She was formerly offered the job after her interview in February 2021 and was due to start at Gad's Hill School in April that same year.

She submitted a staff suitability declaration form, in which she was required to answer the question: "Have you been cautioned, subject to a court order, bound over, received a reprimand or warning or been found guilty of committing any offence either before or during your employment at this school?" 

Ms Adejumo responded: "No."

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Gad's Hill School was notified of an issue flagged on Ms Adejumo's DBS check.

Upon asking her what this might be, she told the school that she could not think of anything.

On 23 March 2021, Ms Adejumo sent the school a copy of the DBS document detailing her conviction.

The school withdrew Ms Adejumo’s job offer and, on March 26, 2021, notified Bexleyheath Academy of her conviction, which the academy had not been aware of.

Ms Adejumo was seen by therefore seen by the professional conduct panel due to numerous allegations surrounding the fact that she had not outlined her convictions to either school.

As oral evidence given at the panel, Md Adejumo said that she “didn’t think the school needed to know” because this “didn’t relate to what she was doing as a teacher”.

The panel noted that Ms Adejumo had also stated that “it didn’t relate to safeguarding”, that she “didn’t think everyone should know her business” and that she was going by her previous DBS check which did not contain the conviction information from 2018.

The panel agreed that all allegations against Ms Adejumo had been proven.

She admitted to all allegations except for two.

The allegations that she admitted to during the panel include:

  • She was convicted on two counts of making a false statement and/or representation contrary to the Social Security Administration Act 1992 s. 111A on 03 October 2018 at North Kent Magistrates’ Court.
  • She failed to declare and/or provided false and/or misleading information in respect of her conviction(s).
  • She did not inform her employing school Bexleyheath Academy that she had been convicted;

Whilst applying for a teaching position at Gad’s Hill School she:

  • Submitted an application form dated 27 January 2021 declaring that she had not received any criminal convictions when this was not in fact the case.
  • Submitted a staff suitability declaration dated 26 February 2021 declaring that she had not received any criminal convictions when this was not in fact the case.
  • Stated that she was not aware of any issues that might appear on her DBS certificate when asked by the head teacher during a telephone call on or around the 19 March 2021.
  • Submitted the application form and/or declaration form under then name Esther-Adejumo when she had been convicted under the name Esther Okpako-Adejumo.
  • Submitted the application form without declaring one or more former-surnames including the surname under which she was convicted.
  • Provided the name Esther Adejumo for the school to obtain DBS certification when she had been convicted under the name Esther Okpako-Adejumo.
  • Her conduct as may be found proven at Allegation 2 above lacked integrity and/or was dishonest.

The first allegation that she denied was that she has used the name Esther Adejumo to obtain a DBS certificate as she was convicted under the name Esther Okpako-Adejumo.

The second allegation that she denied was that her conduct lacked integrity and/or was dishonest.

However, the panel came to the conclusion that both of these allegations were proven to be true. 

The panel decided that a prohibition order would not be a "proportionate" or "appropriate" response.

This means that Ms Adejumo has not been banned from teaching and may continue to work as a teacher in schools.