A SOUTHAMPTON teacher has been cautioned by police on suspicion of child cruelty after a comment he made during a lesson led to a pupil being kicked by another classmate.

King Edward VI School will complete its own internal inquiry this week following the incident involving religious studies teacher Timothy Tofts.

The 45-year-old had been leading a class on Jewish festivals, which involved pupils at the school in Shirley crawling along the classroom with spoons of water.

Head teacher Julian Thould said Mr Tofts then made two "clearly inappropriate comments" to the class shortly before the 11-year-old boy claimed he was kicked during the lesson.

"The member of staff, Mr Tofts, made two quite clearly inappropriate comments in a lesson," he said.

"We have made a full and unreserved apology to the parents and pupil concerned.

"The parents have expressed satisfaction with the arrangements the school has now made and want to put the incident behind them."

Mr Thould added the teacher had been shocked and surprised at the effect his comments caused and had also apologised to the family.

The £2,453-a-term private school in Kellett Road, the city's oldest after being founded in 1553, was recently praised by Ofsted inspectors for the high level of care given to its 930 pupils.

Mr Thould said the pupil had suffered a bruise on his back following an accident earlier in the day when he fell against a table-tennis table.

Chairman of school governors Brian Gay said: "I consider it was a relatively minor situation that was compounded by another incident that happened to the boy when he fell against the table earlier on."

Police formally cautioned Mr Tofts, an Oxford graduate, last Friday after the incident when he made the comments during his lesson in April.

Mr Thould said: "The individual pupil indicated perhaps one pupil may have kicked him but certainly no more than once.

A Hampshire police spokesman confirmed Mr Tofts was cautioned on suspicion of child cruelty.

The parent of the boy involved, who asked not to be named, said: "An incident occurred in the classroom and we have been working closely with the school to get it resolved."

Mr Tofts was unavailable for comment.