The head teacher of a school where a teacher is suspected of stealing a GCSE exam paper says people at the school feel devastated and betrayed.

A female teacher resigned from the Archbishop Lanfranc secondary school in Croydon yesterday.

She has been arrested by police on suspicion of stealing exam papers.

A man in his 40s - believed to be the woman's husband - has also been arrested in connection with the same case.

It is devastating for everyone at the school - a huge slur

David Clark, head teacher, Archbishop Lanfranc

They were arrested on Monday night by police during a raid on a private tutorial college called Head Start in Merton, south-west London.

Both have been released on bail and have been told to report for questioning next month.

The tutorial college had allegedly taken students through the actual GCSE maths paper the night before they were due to sit it.

The head teacher of Archbishop Lanfranc David Clark said he was devastated.

He said the teacher concerned had worked at the school for 13 years and had been a trusted member of staff.

"She has been someone who has been respected by the kids, the parents and teachers, " he said.

"It is devastating for everyone at the school. This is a huge slur on the school.

Students 'unaware'

There is no suggestion any pupil was involved in cheating.

One of the school's pupils plus another two external candidates had taken the paper, set by the exam board, Edexcel.

The other pupils at Archbishop Lanfranc had taken a different paper set by another board.

Edexcel, which tipped off the police about the alleged theft, said the students involved would not be disadvantaged.

"Their papers will be marked by a senior examiner and compared with their past performance," a spokesperson said.

Edexcel says it makes daily random checks on schools to ensure that all scripts remained sealed until the day of the examination.

Other cases

"Visiting inspectors call in unannounced at any time during the examination period and have the right to see the sealed scripts," she said.

Edexcel reports incidents to the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), the exams regulator.

The board is currently investigating other cases.

The spokeswoman said this was quite normal during the exam season.