Reddam House teacher arrested after alleged sex with student in his care

A high school teacher employed at a $32,000 a year private school in Sydney’s eastern suburbs will face court accused of 11 counts of having sex with a 17-year-old student under his care.

A biology teacher at a high school in the eastern suburbs has been charged with having sex with a 17-year-old girl in his care.

Ben Fenner, 34, was arrested last Friday and charged with 11 counts of sexual intercourse with a student under his care after a former student made a complaint to police.

The senior school teacher was arrested at a Mascot cafe just before 10am last Friday.

The school said they immediately removed the teacher from his duties at the school’s Bondi campus.

Reddam House said Fenner would “not longer be involved” with the school.

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“We are most distressed by this turn of events and want to assure parents, students and all in the school community that Reddam regards this matter extremely seriously,” the school said in a statement.

“It is our understanding the former student approached the police some time recently.”

The school, which charges up to $32,000 a year in school fees. said the girl had graduated from the school.

The biology teacher also ran a school diving program at the nearby Gordons Bay.

“Pending resolution of due legal process, the teacher involved will not play any further role at the school. This is now a matter for the court.”

He will face court on August 26.

Reddam House, which has campuses in Bondi and Woollahra, said they were notified by police last Friday that the teacher had been charged and immediately moved to remove the teacher from school duties.

“We are most distressed by this turn of events and want to assure parents, students and all in the school community that Reddam regards this matter extremely seriously,” the school said in a statement.

“Pending resolution of due legal process, the teacher involved will not play any further role at the school. This is now a matter for the court.”

According to school correspondence, Mr Fenner ran the Duke of Edinburgh Award program at the school as well as a diving club.

“(Students) went out with Biology teacher and divemaster Ben Fenner for a 45 dive in Gordon’s Bay, Clovelly,” a school newsletter said.

“Once we had surfaced and removed our gear, we headed to Clovelly for a well deserved snack and coffee whilst watching a pod of dolphins swimming just off the Clovelly headland,” Mr Fenner wrote.

The school said duty of care towards and respect for students is fundamental to its approach.