Two teenage boys at one of the country’s top independent schools have been expelled – after they were caught dealing drugs to pupils.
Two other boys and a girl were also suspended for a term but will be allowed to return after the Christmas break.
The five Year 11 pupils, aged between 15 and 16, who attend £12,000-a-year King Henry VIII School in Coventry, were hauled before the headteacher last week after fellow students grassed them up.
They were all immediately suspended and teachers launched a search of the entire school on Monday.
Police were called after the two teenage boys were discovered selling cannabis to fellow pupils.
Headteacher Jason Slack, confirmed the incident and said police were now dealing with the matter.
He said: “King Henry VIII School is committed to providing a drug-free environment and takes very seriously anything that compromises this commitment.
“Unfortunately, it has been necessary to conduct a thorough investigation into a recent incident involving cannabis.
“The decision to invoke these disciplinary measures was not taken lightly.
“Given its serious nature, the police were immediately contacted when the incident came to light, and we have been in regular contact since.
“We now consider the matter at school to be concluded.
“King Henry VIII School continues to have high expectations of its students, both in their behaviour and academic achievement.”
One angry parent, whose child attends the school, said: “It is just unbelievable. I’m shocked.
“Everybody is paying so much money to get their children into this school so for something like this to be happening there is outrageous.
“I hope the school takes proper action now to stop this kind of behaviour and stop something like this from happening again.”
Another said: “To be honest, I don’t really know what all the fuss is about, every teenager experiments with drugs and it’s no more harmful than alcohol.
“I think the boys who were selling the drugs should be made to apologise in front of the whole school but to expel them will only send them further into crime and away from the nurturing environment of the school.”
West Midlands Police confirmed they were investigating.