A TEACHER has been suspended from a top Suffolk boarding school following an allegation he embraced a female student. Last night Howard Blackett, headmaster at the Royal Hospital School, in Holbrook, confirmed a member of staff had been temporarily removed from his position while the allegation was investigated.

A TEACHER has been suspended from a top Suffolk boarding school following an allegation he embraced a female student.

Last night Howard Blackett, headmaster at the Royal Hospital School, in Holbrook, confirmed a member of staff had been temporarily removed from his position while the allegation was investigated.

It has been claimed the teacher, who has not been named, was seen embracing a female student from the upper sixth form.

Mr Blackett said in a statement: “Pupil welfare is of the utmost importance and hence the matter has been drawn to the attention of the Suffolk Child Protection Agencies. A full investigation will now be conducted by social services and the police.

“The member of staff will remain suspended until the investigation is complete. Suspension is a neutral act and no decision will be made concerning the matter until it has been fully investigated.

“The school is confident the situation is being dealt with appropriately and swiftly, with the interests of all those involved in mind.”

This latest allegations follow an incident last year when two 12-year-old girls were expelled from the school for making a raunchy video.

The girls, who were not identified, were wearing just their underwear in the short clip which was shown to a number of pupils before being discovered by staff.

The incident resulted in six people being disciplined with four of the pupils suspended for one week for their part in it.

The £17,000 a year Royal Hospital School has 631 pupils aged from 11 to 18, and from September last year it also started enrolling day pupils.

It is East Anglia's largest independent boarding school and is currently undergoing a multi-million pound refurbishment programme with the aim of improving all ten boarding houses and creating a new music school.

It has a top academic reputation and for the last four years students have achieved a 100% pass rate at A-Levels.

Last night a spokesman for Suffolk County Council's social services confirmed they were carrying out an investigation together with the police.

“It is a routine and standard procedure carried out after any serious allegation and is not a judgement on the issue,” he said.