10/02/2017

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:00:18. > :00:25.The Head Teacher at one of London's top-performing academies

:00:26. > :00:29.is under investigation, suspected of fixing exam results.

:00:30. > :00:32.Mark Keary, at the Green Spring Academy in east London has been

:00:33. > :00:36.suspended along with senior members of staff.

:00:37. > :00:39.This programme understands that the allegations relate to GCSE

:00:40. > :00:46.Here's our Education Correspondent, Marc Ashdown.

:00:47. > :01:01.Or do they? schools in the country.

:01:02. > :01:04.BBC London understands a widespread investigation has been under way

:01:05. > :01:08.for some time into allegations some examinations, this year and last

:01:09. > :01:17.On a salary of around ?220,000 a year, he is the third

:01:18. > :01:24.We were tipped off about this last night and this morning the trust

:01:25. > :01:27.which runs this academy confirmed a number of members of staff,

:01:28. > :01:31.including Mark Keary, have been suspended.

:01:32. > :01:33.They say it follows an investigation into alleged

:01:34. > :01:37.misconduct into examinations, which found some irregularities.

:01:38. > :01:41.It's caused obvious concern for parents.

:01:42. > :01:45.I am worried, specifically because I've got my kids

:01:46. > :01:51.I think it's going to affect a lot of families, a lot of concerns.

:01:52. > :01:55.Really I am disappointed about it because my children go

:01:56. > :02:02.With these kind of things you can't trust the education

:02:03. > :02:08.The Department for Education told us there is no place

:02:09. > :02:12.for cheating in our schools, and while exam mal-practice

:02:13. > :02:19.is extremely rare, it is right any allegations

:02:20. > :02:28."Following an investigation, exam mal-practice has been identified,

:02:29. > :02:31.resulting in disciplinary action being taken."

:02:32. > :02:35.But some say a ruthless results-based system has created

:02:36. > :02:41.We are aware that there seem to be a growing number of cases

:02:42. > :02:44.where either teachers or schools are accused or found guilty

:02:45. > :02:50.And we can't condone that but we think it's a sign

:02:51. > :02:53.of the pressure that schools are under.

:02:54. > :03:00.So that means that if you get a year group with some children

:03:01. > :03:03.who find it harder to learn, they might have special needs,

:03:04. > :03:06.it doesn't take many of those children to completely

:03:07. > :03:13.And on the basis of those results, school leaders and teachers can

:03:14. > :03:19.Green Spring used to be Bethnal Green Academy.

:03:20. > :03:23.In 2015 three teenage pupils fled to Syria to join

:03:24. > :03:29.Mark Keary was praised for his handling of the incident.

:03:30. > :03:33.The school retained its outstanding Ofsted rating.

:03:34. > :03:35.But now it is under the spotlight again, over what the Trust admits

:03:36. > :03:39.are serious allegations of possible exam fixing.

:03:40. > :03:42.Well Tolu Adayoyay has more on the story.

:03:43. > :03:43.Could the exam results of students caught up in this be affected?

:03:44. > :03:50.This is very different from when an individual student has been found to

:03:51. > :03:54.cheat that. Can be treated more easily. In this situation, it could

:03:55. > :03:56.be institutional mal-practice which is much more systemic. It is

:03:57. > :03:59.unlikely there would be retrospective action. There could be

:04:00. > :04:02.more regulation at the school. The school could be prevented from

:04:03. > :04:05.holding exams altogether. But now the regional Commissioner is working

:04:06. > :04:08.with academy trusts, to make the investigation is under way.

:04:09. > :04:10.There's a demand for quick action to be taken to improve safety

:04:11. > :04:13.for cyclists in London, after three deaths were recorded

:04:14. > :04:18.Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, agrees something has to be done,

:04:19. > :04:20.saying millions of pounds will be invested to do exactly that.

:04:21. > :04:23.Here's our Transport Correspondent Tom Edwards.

:04:24. > :04:25.In Silverstown there are flowers by the side of the road, close

:04:26. > :04:30.The words say, "A great father and husband, sadly missed."

:04:31. > :04:35.Ben Wells was one of three cyclists who died over four days.

:04:36. > :04:39.Carla Morgan and Anita Szucs also died in collisions with vehicles.

:04:40. > :04:43.Again it has raised questions about if enough is being done

:04:44. > :04:49.In two of these deaths there are similarities,

:04:50. > :04:53.both involved large vehicles, a coach and an HGV.

:04:54. > :04:56.HGVs, in particular, have blind spots, where

:04:57. > :05:03.One eye witness has told me that what happened here was -

:05:04. > :05:07.the cyclist came off his bike when he slipped in the mud.

:05:08. > :05:12.Last year nine cyclists died in London.

:05:13. > :05:15.Millions have gone into safer segregated

:05:16. > :05:27.Campaigners say the mayor must now speed up plans for safer

:05:28. > :05:32.lorries with better vision and more bike lanes.

:05:33. > :05:35.We really need the delivery to be accelerated.

:05:36. > :05:38.We need things to move off and that's what's important in order

:05:39. > :05:44.The mayor has a scheme where only lorries with better vision will be

:05:45. > :05:48.allowed on London's roads, but it won't start until 2020.

:05:49. > :05:52.He says he will also invest ?770 million in cycling and that

:05:53. > :05:59.Is it safe on the road if you are a cyclist?

:06:00. > :06:02.If you have been the victim of an accident, if you are a bereaved

:06:03. > :06:06.family member or friend, clearly it isn't.

:06:07. > :06:10.The reality is you have to make it far, far easier

:06:11. > :06:17.The good news is the number of people who cycle is going up.

:06:18. > :06:21.The good news is that there is an appetite for people

:06:22. > :06:25.who aren't cyclists, to start cycling.

:06:26. > :06:29.We have to make it as safe and easy as possible.

:06:30. > :06:39.Really cold, chilly and grim this afternoon. Yes, more of the same to

:06:40. > :06:44.come really, yes, over the next 24 hours. The weather a bit dull as

:06:45. > :06:49.dish water at the moment. A lot of cloud around A few flurries of snow

:06:50. > :06:52.but not doing very much. This was a weather watcher scene from Bentley

:06:53. > :06:56.in North East Hampshire. On the pressure chart, a little area of low

:06:57. > :07:00.pressure to the north-east of France but it is getting swished by the

:07:01. > :07:04.massive area of high pressure across sand navia which is why the front

:07:05. > :07:08.isn't very active. Sure there will be some more flurries to come but

:07:09. > :07:14.for most it won't settle. Perhaps a dusting over the downs, as best as I

:07:15. > :07:18.can offer you. It will be cold with a risk of icy patches for tomorrow

:07:19. > :07:22.morning. And tomorrow you can read this headline as - more of the same.

:07:23. > :07:27.Yes, a cloudy start, some snow showers to start the day but a trend

:07:28. > :07:31.for those snow showers to turn to rain as the day goes by. The

:07:32. > :07:33.exception to that rule probably over the hills where

:07:34. > :07:37.exception to that rule probably over the hills where again there could be

:07:38. > :07:41.a bit of snow, but not accumulating. Another cold