A former school headteacher has been charged with a string of sexual offences against children.
Rob Haines, 44,will appear in court next month accused of four counts of sexual grooming, five counts of sexual activity and four counts of taking indecent images of a child.
The teacher had been working at Thistley Hough High School, one of the biggest schools in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs., until he left at Easter last year.
At the time, Stoke-on-Trent City Council would not comment on his departure but it coincided with the school failing an Ofsted inspection and being placed in special measures.
Mr Haines was arrested in October last year after Staffordshire Police and the local authority launched a joint inquiry into allegations made against him.
And on Thursday night, a police spokesman confirmed he had been charged with 13 sexual offences and would appear at North Staffordshire Justice Centre in August.
He said: “Robert Haines has been bailed to appear before magistrates in Newcastle-under-Lyme on Thursday, August 15.
“He was arrested last October and a joint investigation was undertaken into the conduct of the former school staff member.”
It is not known whether the allegations relate to any pupils from the school or when the offences are alleged to have taken place.
Mr Haines, who lives in Shropshire, had been at the school for a number of years and was credited with helping to turn round its GCSE results.
But Thistley Hough High School later failed to meet Government exam targets and then failed an Ofsted inspection in Easter 2012.
The school was removed from special measures earlier this year and has since been re-launched as an academy sponsored by the Creative Education Trust.
A school spokesman declined to comment on Mr Haines’s case.
But Jackie Carnell, independent chairman of Stoke-on-Trent Safeguarding Children Board, said: “We are aware of the charges.
“They concern a member of staff who is no longer employed by a school in the city.
“The school in question and the city council have worked closely with the police and responded fully to the investigation.
“We’d like to reassure parents that this member of staff is no longer employed by the local authority.
“If parents have concerns in light of this, please call Staffordshire Police.”
Thistley Hough High School moved on to a new £15 site in April this year after being given new academy status.
The school has 820 pupils on its books, aged between 11 and 16.
