Birmingham Headteacher Suspended After Claims Of An Affair During School Hours

14 January 2015, 15:46 | Updated: 14 January 2015, 15:51

A Birmingham school says it's pupils won't be affected by the suspension of it's headteacher after claims he had an affair with a governor in working hours.

In a letter to pupils' parents, Birmingham's Dame Elizabeth Cadbury Technology College said it would "continue to operate as usual'' in the absence of headteacher Richard Tattersfield.

Birmingham City Council has refused to comment on the nature of its investigation into allegations made against Mr Tattersfield.

Reports claim the inquiry is examining a number of matters including the headteacher's relationship with his former chair of governors, Keely Huxtable.

Mrs Huxtable, a councillor's wife who stood unsuccessfully as a Tory candidate at the 2010 general election, is believed to have resigned from her post as head of the school's governing body in December.

In a letter to parents, the school's vice-chair of governors, Jackie Ashton, said: "In response to media reports today regarding the headteacher of the school, Mr Tattersfield, I want to assure parents that there is no effect to the running of the school or day to day teaching and learning.

"As soon as the school was made aware of the allegations, the local authority were contacted and are conducting a thorough investigation.

"Nothing is more important to the school than helping our pupils realise their potential, and nothing that has happened will have any influence on this.''

Birmingham City Council has appointed an experienced headteacher to provide senior level support whilst its investigation is being completed.

A city council spokesperson said: "On the basis of the seriousness of the allegations made, the headteacher was suspended in December, pending an investigation which is currently under way.''

In a statement, Conservative councillor Timothy Huxtable said of the break-down of his marriage: "Up until now, I have declined to comment for the sake of my family.

"All I will say currently is that when I was made aware of these allegations in December, I informed Birmingham City Council that I would be happy to fully co-operate, if requested, with their investigation into these serious allegations that the affair happened during school time.''