Birmingham Christian School Leaders Banned After Unregistered Operation Exposed
Two senior staff members from an unregulated Christian school in Birmingham have been handed prohibition orders, effectively banning them from the teaching profession. The action follows the discovery that The Lambs Christian School in Soho Hill, Hockley, was operating without proper registration, putting children at risk.
Serious Safeguarding Failures Uncovered
Principal Patricia Ekhuemelo, 53, and business manager Sylvia Sams, 62, were exposed when police attended a road traffic collision involving a minibus carrying 14 primary school-age children on January 15, 2024. Investigators later determined that the school had been operating as an unregistered institution for months, meaning it was not subject to Ofsted regulations or regular inspections.
The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) professional conduct panel found that both women breached teaching standards and committed misconduct. Unregistered schools pose significant risks to pupil welfare, health, and safety as they operate outside the regulatory framework designed to protect children.
Complex History of Registration Issues
The school had originally been registered as a mixed-sex independent school for pupils aged three to eleven in January 2003. However, Ekhuemelo requested de-registration on April 28, 2023, citing financial pressures from the Coronavirus pandemic. She informed the Department for Education (DfE) that the school would close at the end of the Spring term but planned to keep the pre-school open.
Despite multiple communications with education authorities about changing the school's status to an out-of-school setting for the homeschooling community, the institution continued to operate without proper registration. The panel noted this could not be described as a simple administrative error but represented a serious failure to comply with legal requirements.
Contradictory Information Provided to Authorities
During investigations, contradictory information emerged about the school's operations. While Ekhuemelo told Ofsted in June 2023 that the school had closed and there were no children at the setting, inspectors later found 26 children engaged in learning while wearing school uniforms during a February 2024 inspection.
Documents requested by inspectors, including fire risk assessments, safeguarding training evidence, and insurance documentation, were not initially available. Fire evacuation drills had also not been completed, raising serious safety concerns.
Criminal Proceedings and Community Orders
In September 2024, both Ekhuemelo and Sams admitted to conducting an unregistered independent educational institution between August 31, 2023, and February 22, 2024. Birmingham Magistrates' Court handed them community orders with 60 hours of unpaid work, a £114 victim surcharge, and £200 costs.
The TRA panel determined that Ekhuemelo had shown a fundamental lack of due diligence in ensuring the school was established correctly, despite pressure from parents to continue educational provision after de-registration. While she may not have made a deliberate decision to operate illegally, her actions fundamentally breached the standard of conduct expected of a teacher.
Strong Community Support Contrasts with Regulatory Findings
Despite the regulatory failures, Ekhuemelo received numerous positive references from former pupils and parents who praised the school's educational quality and her personal dedication. One parent described the institution as an excellent education centre that provided academic excellence while nurturing moral and spiritual development.
Another parent noted that for many black ethnic minority families, the school served as a haven where children could learn and grow in an environment that celebrates and affirms their identities. The school had previously received an outstanding Ofsted rating in 2019, with inspectors finding safeguarding to be effective at that time.
Prohibition Orders Issued
Following hearings in March 2026, both women were made subject to prohibition orders, banning them from teaching in any school, sixth-form college, relevant youth accommodation, or children's home in England. The orders can be reviewed after three years, but currently prevent them from working in educational settings.
Sams, who maintained she was not a teacher but an administrator, showed a lack of remorse and insight according to the panel. She insisted they were instructed to plead guilty to avoid intense questioning in court, but the panel found no public interest considerations in retaining her in the profession.
The case highlights the critical importance of proper school registration and regulation to ensure children receive safe, suitable education in environments that meet all required standards for welfare, health, and safety.
