An agency teacher was asked to leave a school in Radlett after making an alleged racist comment towards pupils.

National newspapers reported that the teacher at Newberries Primary School made an anti-Semitic remark in front of a class, nearly half of whom were Jewish, threatening to "ship them off to the gas chambers" if they did not finish their work quickly.

A spokesperson from the school said: "We can confirm that last week we were made aware that an alleged racist comment had been made by an agency teacher working within the school.

"We acted upon this immediately and our governors and leadership team are undertaking a full investigation. We can confirm that the agency teacher will not be returning.

"We would like to reassure parents and carers that the safeguarding of children within Newberries Primary School remains our priority.

"This teacher was not a permanent member of staff. We will continue to work with all members of our school community to ensure that we provide a safe, supportive and respectful learning environment within which all children can thrive."