Teacher suspended 'over affair with girl, 16'

A teacher is under police investigation after allegedly having an affair with a female pupil.

Ian Kirby, 31, has been suspended pending an inquiry to establish whether he had an "improper relationship" with the 16-year-old, who cannot be named.

The teacher, head of history at Great Baddow High School in Chelmsford, has been instructed not to contact the student while child protection officers investigate.

Essex police are set to question Mr Kirby - who was suspended by school governors at the start of the summer holidays and is said to be a popular figure among pupils at the mixed school

Jim Hutchon, a member of Great Baddow's Board of Governors said: "I can confirm that an investigation is ongoing and that a teacher has been suspended. However I can't say any more than that. I have no further comment to make on the matter."

Mr Kirby, who is believed to be single, is currently staying at his father's Barking home and is said to have been left shattered by the allegations.

He told a Sunday newspaper: "I'm absolutely devastated about this.

"I just don't want to talk about it. I have no more to say."

A school spokesman said: "An investigation is now underway. For this reason it is inappropriate for us to comment further at his stage."

Head teacher Roger Hunton said: I certainly don't want to say anything."

The scandal has sent shockwaves among staff, pupils and parents at the co-ed school, which has 1,450 students and recently outstripped rival colleges across the county - including-Chelmsford's top performing grammar schools - in the national league tables for the GCSE preparation Key Stage 3 to 4.

In 2002 Great Baddow gained status as a specialist sports college - one of five across Britain to achieve the award. One parent described Mr Kirby as "one of those trendy teachers who all the kids like" who "built up a great rapport with the pupils".

However he added: "If it's true he's had a fling with one of his girls then he has obviously overstepped the line. It's shocking." According to another parent, rumours of the alleged relationship were already in circulation at the school.

One mother of a female pupil said: "She'd heard a girl had been seeing one of the teachers but I just thought it was gossip.

"I've always had a lot of trust in the teachers."

A police spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that officers from our Child Protection Unit at Chelmsford are investigating an allegation of an improper relationship between a male teacher at Great Baddow High and a female student.

"As of this moment there has been no arrest or charge.

"We have no further comment to make at present."