A MATHS teacher fired for “gross misconduct” from a Wembley school amid allegations of a £1.6m fraud is now teaching at a top Mill Hill school.

Arkley resident Dr Richard Evans lost his job at Copland Community School in November after allegations he pocketed £300,000 in bonuses in his role as deputy head in charge of finance.

Scotland Yard's fraud squad has now launched an investigation into the financial dealings at the school.

However, in January, Dr Evans was taken on at Mill Hill County High School as a temporary member of staff and given a permanent position in April.

A statement from Geoffrey Thompson, the headmaster of the Worcester Crescent School, said Dr Evans had been appointed after a consultation with the General Teaching Council.

He added: “He was given a permanent position as a maths teacher in April. Dr Evans is a highly qualified maths teacher and has proved himself a popular and valued member of our school community.

"I do not believe there are any grounds for parental concern. There never has been any question about Dr Evans’s suitability to work with children.

“The circumstances which led to Dr Evans’s departure from his previous post had no connection whatsoever with his teaching. He has demonstrated he has been an excellent maths teacher during his time at Mill Hill County High School.”

An investigation by Brent Council into the dealings at Copland, which ended with four of the senior management team suspended, found evidence of “serious financial mismanagement” at the school.

Shane Johnschwager, a staff member at Copland School and Brent secretary for teacher's union NASUWT was outraged by the appointment.

He told the Times Series: "Richard Evans will have to answer to his professional body and possibly to the courts.

“What will Geoffrey Thompson say to pupils and parents at Mill Hill County if he is struck off or charged with a criminal offence?

“Will he stake his reputation on this appointment? Mill Hill is a school with an excellent reputation. Is this the best Geoffrey Thompson can do in recruiting staff to the school - a disgraced and recently sacked teacher embroiled in Britain's largest ever educational financial scandal?”