Education chiefs have launched an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment by the head of a Gravesend primary school.

Kent County Council said it was “following personnel procedures” in response to the allegations about a member of staff at Westcourt Primary School, in Silver Road.

Trade union GMB has called for dismissals following a complaint from one of its members, a female teacher, that Head of School Andrew Gould had sent her an e-mail which read: “slags me of (sic) one minute and as nice as pie the next... is it her whoremoans.”

The union has criticised the school and KCC’s reaction to the alleged incident, claiming Mr Gould had not even been interviewed about it a full three weeks after it was reported.

GMB organiser Frank Macklin said: “There can be little doubt that this e-mail is evidence of sexual harassment by the male head of school against a female member of staff.

"Mr Gould is in a position of authority and this behaviour must surely be a matter of concern.”

A KCC spokesman said the authority was unable to comment further because of the investigation, but a source close to the school said Mr Gould had already apologised at least once to the teacher.

For the full story see this week's Gravesend Messenger, out Thursday.