Mr Adam Lowery

Introduction

Mr Adam Lowery was a teacher at Rainford High School in St Helens from 29 April 2019. In July 2024 a professional conduct panel of the Teaching Regulation Agency found proved that in or around March 2021 he gave a pupil, Pupil A, copies of the exam questions and marking schemes for biology, physics and chemistry exams due to be sat that month, and that on 31 March 2021 he sat as invigilator in Pupil A’s physics exam knowing Pupil A had been given the papers in advance — conduct the panel found dishonest. Mr Lowery, who was present and represented at the hearing, admitted the allegations. On 3 July 2024, deciding on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education, David Oatley prohibited him from teaching indefinitely, with a two-year review period allowing an application to set the order aside from 6 July 2026 at the earliest.

Background Information

The panel convened on 1 to 2 July 2024 by way of a virtual hearing in public. Mr Lowery was present and represented by Mr Jonathan Storey of Counsel, instructed by the NEU; the TRA was represented by a presenting officer, and two school witnesses gave oral evidence. The allegations, set out in a notice of proceedings dated 20 March 2024, were that he provided Pupil A with copies of the exam questions and marking schemes for biology, physics and chemistry exams to be sat in the week commencing 29 March 2021; that he invigilated the physics exam knowing Pupil A had them in advance; and that this conduct was dishonest. He admitted the particulars of all three allegations in a statement of agreed facts signed on 19 June 2024, though the panel still tested the admitted facts against the oral and documentary evidence. Part of the hearing concerning his private life was heard in private on his successful application.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation

Allegations and findings. The findings in this section are those of a Teaching Regulation Agency professional conduct panel, which reported proving them on the balance of probabilities. Mr Adam Lowery admitted the allegations in a statement of agreed facts and gave oral evidence at the hearing. All three allegations, including dishonesty, were found proved; no count fell.

The concerns surfaced after the exams: three science teachers independently identified that Pupil A’s scores — 44/45 in biology, 44/45 in chemistry and 41/46 in physics — were “extraordinarily high”, with a “very strong correlation to the marking scheme”, answers that matched the schemes almost word for word and in places consisted of key words rather than sentences. The papers had been generated from Exam Pro software available to staff but not pupils. Interviewed on 19 April 2021, Pupil A at first denied anything untoward, attributing his results to hard work, then admitted Mr Lowery had given him the papers and marking schemes, from which he wrote out answers to take into the exam; he said he was struggling with revision, scared of not meeting expectations, and cheated under pressure. At an investigatory meeting on 29 April 2021, Mr Lowery admitted providing the papers and answers, having previously lied at his first interview because he was “both terrified and ashamed”, explaining he had wanted to help a struggling pupil. He resigned on 30 April 2021 and the school referred the matter to the TRA on 21 May 2021.

On dishonesty, the panel applied the test from Ivey v Genting Casinos: Mr Lowery knowingly provided the questions and schemes, and admitted dishonesty; given his experience as a teacher there could be no doubt he knew his actions were dishonest, and ordinary decent people would find them so — including his decision to invigilate Pupil A’s physics exam while knowing of the leak. The panel found all three allegations proved. It also accepted as compelling his oral evidence that he met an individual on 21 April 2021 to apologise for his behaviour, though there was no documentary support.

Public Reaction and Consequences

The panel found the conduct breached the Teachers’ Standards on upholding public trust, having regard to school policies, and acting within statutory frameworks, and amounted to both unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute. It considered whether the behaviour amounted to fraud or serious dishonesty and concluded it did not — a finding that later shaped the review period, since serious dishonesty would have weighed against a shorter one. It was serious nonetheless: the panel noted this was not an isolated one-off incident but a continuing act of dishonesty from the provision of the papers until at least the invigilation on 31 March 2021, with an opportunity to reflect in between. Character references from five individuals attested to his integrity and standing, and the panel accepted he had made a positive contribution to the profession with a clear talent for sports coaching; having heard his evidence, it was convinced he understood the gravity of the misconduct, found significant insight and remorse — “utter stupidity”, “no day when I don’t regret it” — and saw no risk of repetition. Prohibition was still recommended as proportionate.

Current Status

On 3 July 2024 David Oatley decided on behalf of the Secretary of State that Mr Adam Lowery is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England. He placed considerable weight on the seriousness of the misconduct — contravening examination requirements and dishonesty — and on the panel’s view that public confidence could be seriously weakened if such conduct were not treated with the utmost seriousness, while giving some weight to the panel’s findings of significant insight and remorse. He agreed a two-year review period reflected the seriousness of the findings: Mr Lowery may apply for the order to be set aside, but not until 6 July 2026 at the earliest. This is not an automatic right; without a successful application he remains prohibited indefinitely. The order takes effect from the date it is served, with a right of appeal to the King’s Bench Division of the High Court within 28 days.

Impact on Their Career/Life

Mr Lowery had already lost his job at Rainford High School, resigning on 30 April 2021 within days of the disciplinary investigation meeting, and the prohibition now bars him from any teaching in England until, at the earliest, a successful review application in July 2026. In mitigation the panel heard of significant personal pressures during the 2020 to 2021 academic year and the disruption of pandemic-era internal examinations, but it held these did not diminish the seriousness of his actions. His own reflections to the panel were that he “should have sought help” and “should have asked for support and time off”.

Sources

• Teaching Regulation Agency, “Teacher misconduct panel outcome: Mr Adam Lowery” — source