Headmaster, teacher suspended over 'sex in the office'

50-year-old headmaster Graham Daniels and chemistry teacher Bethan Bale, (36), have been suspended over a 30-second camera-phone video, which features the sound of moans and panting apparently coming from behind a closed school office door.

Mrs Bale is also being investigated over allegations of sex sessions in offices at Bryn Tawe School in Swansea, UK.

It is not known when the video clip was filmed but it was shared on social media sites including YouTube, where it was viewed hundreds of times before being removed.

One teenager at the school said: 'The video shows the headmaster's office – you can hear two people in the room having sex.'

Pupils have been banned from talking about it on social networking sites after being accused of 'damaging the school's reputation'.

But one said: 'Apparently we're the ones ruining the school's reputation – but we aren't the ones having sexual relations in the headmaster's office.'

A special assembly has been held at the school to tell pupils to ignore the video and focus on their exams.

They have been told there is an external investigation under way and the matter will be dealt with 'in the fairest way possible'.

Mrs Bale was linked to the case by angry parents.

Married Mr Daniels and Mrs Bale are said to be 'close' and the two were recently judges of a reading challenge at the 750-pupil school.

Mrs Bale lives in a £150,000 detached house at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac in Pontardawe, north of Swansea.

A neighbour said: 'Bethan is away and I don't know when she will be back.'

The neighbour, who did not want to be named, added that her husband Carl was also not at home but he did not know if they were away together.

Mr Daniels has refused to comment on the allegations and was not at his £350,000 detached bungalow in Ammanford.

Heini Gruffudd, the chairman of governors, said: 'The school has received a complaint which did not name anyone involved.

'Following this the governing body is holding an investigation, in co-operation with the local authority.

The head teacher and another member of staff are currently suspended and Simon Davies, currently deputy head teacher, will be managing the school for the time being.

'The school is running normally and we won't be commenting further at this time.'

Bryn Tawe's latest Estyn report - the Welsh equivalent of Ofsted - awarded it a rare 'double-excellent' status.

The Welsh-medium secondary school, which means Welsh is the first language, was praised by inspectors and they singled out Mr Daniels for his contribution.

'The vision and strategic direction provided by the headteacher is excellent, with a clear and sustained focus on maintaining and achieving high standards,' they said, adding that he was 'supported by an enthusiastic senior management team'.