Teacher quizzed over misconduct

A female teacher at a top school on Merseyside has been arrested following a police investigation into alleged sexual misconduct with students.

The 24-year-old, from Waterloo, a teacher at the independent fee-paying Merchant Taylors' boys school in Crosby, was arrested on Friday.

She was questioned on suspicion of breaching a position of trust with boys from her school and released on bail.

The alleged activity is understood to have involved sixth form students.

The police and social services investigation is focusing on allegations that misconduct occurred outside school hours and away from the premises.

'Safeguarding students'

The teacher has been suspended and it is not known when she will return.

David Cook, head teacher of the £2,727-a-term school, said: "Merchant Taylors' Boys' School can confirm that a member of its senior school teaching staff is the subject of an investigation by Sefton Social Services and Merseyside Police.

"This relates to an incident of alleged misconduct which took place away from the school site and outside school hours, involving sixth form students.

"No formal charges have been brought at this stage.

"As the matter is with the appropriate agencies, the school cannot comment further.

"The school is co-operating fully, as our first priority is the safeguarding of all our students."

Sixth form pupils are above the age of consent but it is against the law to have a sexual encounter with someone under 18 if there is a relationship of trust.

A Merseyside Police spokesman said: "As part of an ongoing inquiry, a 24-year-old woman from Waterloo was arrested on Friday on suspicion of abusing her position of trust under the Sexual Offences Act 2003."

Merchant Taylors' enjoyed a 100% GCSE pass rate last year and counts former Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Runcie among its former pupils.