Yorkshire teacher banned after investigation uncovers 'pattern of dishonesty'

Stock image: Paul Elliott, 53, worked as Head of Religion and Philosophy at Yarm School, until he was dismissed in October 2019.

Paul Elliott, 53, worked as Head of Religion and Philosophy at Yarm School in the North Yorkshire town of Yarm, until he was dismissed in October 2019.

The school said an internal investigation found there were a number of lies on his job application.

Mr Elliot has denied the allegations, but a Teaching Regulation Agency misconduct panel reviewed the case and found he had “demonstrated a pattern of dishonesty in his entire career”.

The misconduct panel found he falsely claimed that he studied medicine at the University of Oxford in the 1980s, he attended the university as a fellow in 1995 and he was a visiting scholar at the University of Cambridge between 2005 and 2006.

According to the panel, he lied about playing rugby for the University of Oxford in a varsity match, playing professional rugby league for Wigan Warriors and representing the North of England against Australia in 1988.

He also falsely claimed he worked as the Director of Rugby and Assistant Director of Sport at Churcher’s College, when he had been employed as a coach and a PE teacher.

Mr Elliot also falsely claimed he worked at Belvedere School in 2002.

The teacher was accused of lying about his school grades, claiming he achieved 12 As at O Levels and six As at A Levels, but the panel found there was “insufficient evidence to find these allegations proved”.

In a report, the panel stated Mr Elliot had committed “misconduct of a serious nature” which “fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession”.

It stated: “The panel felt that Mr Elliott had undermined trust in the profession by lying on his employment applications.

“Public confidence in the profession could be seriously weakened if conduct such as that found against Mr Elliott were not treated with the utmost seriousness.”

It added: “The panel was particularly concerned that Mr Elliott's lack of insight and lack of remorse indicated that there was a high risk of repetition of dishonest conduct”.

He has been banned from teaching indefinitely.