UPDATE: 6.55pm

A TRIBUNAL panel have started their deliberations on allegations that a former deputy headteacher of Rogerstone Primary School manipulated reading and numeracy tests results.

Wayne Millard faces seven allegations of unacceptable professional conduct and has been called before the Education Workforce Council sitting in Cardiff today. (Tue) Mr Millard is not attending the hearing and no longer lives in the UK.

He denies all the allegations.

The main allegations Mr Millard is facing relate to his alleged failure to ensure that the National Reading and Numeracy Test undertaken in the school were administered in accordance with guidelines set out in the 2013 administration handbook.

The tests were taken during the summer term of the academic year 2012/2013. He is accused of acting with a view to manipulate the test results so that pupils received better test results.

Hannah Eales, the presenting officer, said Mr Millard was responsible for managing the administration of the national tests at the school.

She read a number of statements from teachers who said they were shown test papers a week before the test to familiarise themselves with it and identify words the children might have difficulty with.

One teacher said there was part of the maths paper which they had not taught yet and also wrote down a list of words from the English test paper for the children to learn.

The former deputy headteacher is also accused of allowing pupils additional time over the 30 minutes that should be allocated for the test.

Helen Hickinbottom, a year 2 teacher, said she was told by Mr Millard to 'give the children as long as they needed.'

She said he used phrases such as "We want the children to do well. We need the children to do well. It takes as long as it takes."

She said she was too 'intimidated' to ask questions.

She said one test paper was thrown at her by Mr Millard who said 'fix that' - she took the meaning to arrange for the pupil to sit the test again.

Allegations also include that pupils were allowed a break in the middle of sitting the test paper and pupils sat in small groups to take the test.

The panel heard teachers were tapping incorrect answers and Mr Millard told a child to re write an incorrect answer before getting it right on the third time.

The panel heard that children were aware of what was happening as children were being brought back in re-try answers.

Graham Davies, who led an independent investigation into the allegations, said parents had initially raised concerns about the tests. He said he was sent a social media message between two pupils.

It said that Mr Millard called the pupil back to the meeting room. The message said 'I just had to fix my mistakes in the maths test.'

Mr Millard is also accused of attempting to interfere with the independent investigation into the administration of the test when he instructed teacher A to include specific information in her witness statement and is accused of changing content of teacher A's witness statement.

Teacher A in her statement said she was told to say she gave a pupil extra time because the pupil panicked. She said Mrs Yeoman was pushing Mr Millard to put in the statement that all decisions on the test were 'collective decisions.'

Teacher A said: "They had me against the wall. There was no way out."

In an interview Mr Millard admitted being involved in some of the actions but said this was in accordance to the headteacher at the time, Sam Yeoman's instructions.

He said in interviews he did so with her 'knowledge and support.'

Mrs Yeoman was struck off in January of this year after a General Teaching Council for Wales panel found a number of allegations were proven against her including that she acted dishonestly with a view to manipulate national reading and numeracy test to boost results.

Mr Millard is also accused of interfering with the investigation by removing documentation belonging to the school from the site.

He admitted in his interview with the investigator that he deleted files from his computer.

He faces an allegation of acting dishonestly in relation to the first four allegations.

Mr Millard is also accused of failing to consult with teaching staff on targets provided for individual pupil levels which were linked to their performance management.

He is also accused of applying undue pressure on staff to agree unrealistic targets for pupils.

Proceeding.

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A TRIBUNAL panel have started their deliberations on allegations that an ex-deputy headteacher of Rogerstone Primary School manipulated reading and numeracy tests results.

Wayne Millard faces seven allegations of unacceptable professional conduct and has been called before the Education Workforce Council sitting in Cardiff today. Mr Millard is not attending the hearing and no longer lives in the UK.

He denies all the allegations.

The main allegations Mr Millard is facing relate to his alleged failure to ensure that the National Reading and Numeracy Test undertaken in the school were administered in accordance with guidelines set out in the 2013 administration handbook.

The tests were taken during the summer term of the academic year 2012/2013. He is accused of acting with a view to manipulate the test results so that pupils received better test results.

Hannah Eales, the presenting officer, said Mr Millard was responsible for managing the administration of the national tests at the school.

She read a number of statements from teachers who said they were shown test papers a week before the test to familiarise themselves with it and identify words the children might have difficulty with.

One teacher said there was part of the maths paper which they had not taught yet and also wrote down a list of words from the English test paper for the children to learn.

The former deputy headteacher is also accused of allowing pupils additional time over the 30 minutes that should be allocated for the test.

Helen Hickinbottom, a year 2 teacher, said she was told by Mr Millard to 'give the children as long as they needed.'

She said he used phrases such as "We want the children to do well. We need the children to do well. It takes as long as it takes."

She said she was too 'intimidated' to ask questions.

She said one test paper was thrown at her by Mr Millard who said 'fix that' - she took the meaning to arrange for the pupil to sit the test again.

Allegations also include that pupils were allowed a break in the middle of sitting the test paper and pupils sat in small groups to take the test.

The panel heard teachers were tapping incorrect answers and Mr Millard told a child to rewrite an incorrect answer before getting it right on the third time.

The panel heard that children were aware of what was happening as children were being brought back in re-try answers.

Graham Davies, who led an independent investigation into the allegations, said parents had initially raised concerns about the tests. He said he was sent a social media message between two pupils.

It said that Mr Millard called the pupil back to the meeting room. The message said 'I just had to fix my mistakes in the maths test.'

Mr Millard is also accused of attempting to interfere with the independent investigation into the administration of the test when he instructed teacher A to include specific information in her witness statement and is accused of changing content of teacher A's witness statement.

Teacher A in her statement said she was told to say she gave a pupil extra time because the pupil panicked. She said Mrs Yeoman was pushing Mr Millard to put in the statement that all decisions on the test were 'collective decisions.'

Teacher A said: "They had me against the wall. There was no way out."

In an interview Mr Millard admitted being involved in some of the actions but said this was in accordance to the headteacher at the time, Sam Yeoman's instructions.

He said in interviews he did so with her 'knowledge and support.'

Mrs Yeoman was struck off in January of this year after a General Teaching Council for Wales panel found a number of allegations were proven against her including that she acted dishonestly with a view to manipulate national reading and numeracy test to boost results.

Mr Millard is also accused of interfering with the investigation by removing documentation belonging to the school from the site.

He admitted in his interview with the investigator that he deleted files from his computer.

He faces an allegation of acting dishonestly in relation to the first four allegations.

Mr Millard is also accused of failing to consult with teaching staff on targets provided for individual pupil levels which were linked to their performance management.

He is also accused of applying undue pressure on staff to agree unrealistic targets for pupils.

Proceeding.