Miss Preeti Harish

Introduction

Miss Preeti Harish was an early career teacher at Mayfield School in Dagenham, teaching science in her first year and health and social care in her second. In early 2024 the school was told, via Trading Standards, that it was alleged she had purchased a fake degree certificate and used it to enter teacher training, obtain Qualified Teacher Status and gain her teaching post. A Teaching Regulation Agency professional conduct panel met on 13 March 2025 and found the allegations proved. On 17 March 2025 the decision maker, Sarah Buxcey, prohibited her from teaching indefinitely.

Background Information

Born on 28 September 1986, Harish worked at Mayfield School as a cover supervisor between 1 September 2017 and 13 January 2020, returning on 1 August 2021 as an early career teacher. Her route into teaching was the School Direct programme: her application to the North East London Teaching Alliance (NELTA) stated she held a University of East London degree studied between 2005 and 2009. References described a strong cover supervisor and a promising trainee. Even so, by early 2024 the school was seeking to extend her second induction year because she needed further support.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation

The school was informed by London Borough of Redbridge’s chief education officer, who had been contacted by Trading Standards, that it was alleged Miss Harish had purchased a fake degree certificate. In the school’s investigation interview on 17 January 2024, she said she did not have a completed degree, although she had started studying towards one, and explained how she had obtained the fake certificate. A disciplinary hearing took place on 15 February 2024, and she ceased to be employed by the school on 29 February 2024. The panel later amended one allegation to name the North East London Teaching Alliance rather than the North East Schools Teaching Alliance, considering it more probable she had trained with the former.

The panel considered allegations that, on an unknown date, she purchased a certificate purporting she had obtained a degree in Early Childhood Studies from the University of East London knowing it was fake, and that she used that certificate to enrol on a teacher training programme with NELTA, to obtain Qualified Teacher Status, and to apply for and gain employment as an early career teacher at Mayfield School. She admitted the alleged facts in a signed statement of agreed facts. Trading Standards was recorded as having gathered sufficient evidence to show that “a) the individual bought the fake degree certificate; b) this degree was not achieved (ie the certificate was not bought as a ‘replacement’; and c) the certificate was provided as part of an application to enrol onto the teacher training programme”. Individual A’s witness statement confirmed NELTA staff had copied and verified the original certificate — checking the university and student names, classification of degree, quality of paper, watermarks and holograms — before enrolling her on a programme of initial teacher training in biology, and that the certificate held by NELTA matched the one held by Trading Standards, which had been assessed as fake.

In her interview, Miss Harish admitted providing the fake certificate to “NELTA [North East London Teaching Alliance] and not Mayfield School”, while saying she may have shown it to the school during her teacher training. She agreed she was not a qualified teacher, but said everything apart from the certificate had been done honestly — it was only the degree certificate to obtain Qualified Teacher Status that “had been done dishonestly”. She described the provider of the certificate as “quite forceful and pushing saying it would cost double if she didn’t move quickly”, yet the panel noted it was Miss Harish who had made the enquiries leading her to that provider. Finding that the ordinary honest person would regard her conduct as dishonest, the panel stated: “There was evidence that Miss Harish’s actions were deliberate. She obtained a fake degree certificate and then used it on multiple occasions to advance her career.” It also found the conduct lacked integrity, undermining safer recruitment practices designed to safeguard children and the ability to assess her suitability and qualifications.

Public Reaction and Consequences

The panel found the proven facts amounted to unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute. They involved breaches of the Teachers’ Standards and of the safer recruitment principles in Keeping Children Safe in Education, with the offence of fraud or serious dishonesty relevant. As the panel put it: “The repeated acts of dishonesty undermining confidence in the teaching profession was a significant factor in forming that opinion.” Mitigation was acknowledged — her early admissions, her acceptance of responsibility and her previously good history — but the panel noted she had “not expressed any insight as to the impact that her actions would have had on pupils, the School, the wider community and the teaching profession”. Concluding that “the public interest considerations outweighed the interests of Miss Harish”, it recommended a prohibition order with immediate effect and a five-year review period. Sarah Buxcey imposed the order on behalf of the Secretary of State on 17 March 2025.

Current Status

Sarah Buxcey’s decision, dated 17 March 2025, means Miss Preeti Harish is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England. The order takes effect from the date it is served on her. She may apply for the prohibition order to be set aside, “but not until 20 March 2030, 5 years from the date of this order at the earliest”. That is not an automatic right: if she applies, a panel will meet to consider setting it aside, and without a successful application she remains prohibited indefinitely. She may also appeal to the Kings Bench Division of the High Court within 28 days of notice of the order.

Impact on Their Career/Life

The order ends her teaching career in England while it is in force. The panel noted that Miss Harish “had initially shown promise as a teacher” and might in future make “a valuable contribution to the teaching profession”, which is why it recommended a review period rather than prohibition without one. One referee had written that he had “absolutely no doubt that Preeti is perfectly suited to a career in teaching”. But the panel found her actions were deliberate and that the qualification on which her eligibility depended was fake, and the decision maker concluded a five-year review period was required to maintain public confidence.

Sources

• Teaching Regulation Agency, “Teacher misconduct panel outcome: Miss Preeti Harish” — source