Victorian Institute of Teaching investigating two Haileybury College staff who partied with underage students

Victoria’s teaching regulator is investigating two teachers who attended a boozy party with their students and former AFL players Matthew Lloyd and Ty Zantuck.

Haileybury coach Matthew Lloyd has accepted responsibility for breaching school rules by attending a premiership celebration with students and parents last Saturday night. Picture: Mark Wilson

Staff from Haileybury are under investigation by the teaching regulator over their presence at a boozy footy party attended by underage students.

Police are also expected to interview Haileybury students and their parents over coming days as they piece together more details of the controversial celebrations in Dingley.

The alcohol-fuelled party was attended by celebrity school football coaches, former AFL players Matthew Lloyd and Ty Zantuck, along with four other Haileybury staff.

Fraternising with students outside school hours, especially at a private party, is a direct breach of the Haileybury staff code of conduct and numerous child safety laws.

It is understood the jubilant coaching team had been celebrating together before turning up at the party which was held at a parent’s house.

VIT is assessing whether action needs to be taken against two Haileybury College teachers.

The Victorian Institute of Teaching is undertaking a preliminary assessment to determine whether to take action against two registered teachers.

No Haileybury staff have been suspended on an interim basis, which suggests their attendance at the party has not been deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to students.

The Herald Sun revealed last Friday that Haileybury staff, including Mr Lloyd, had been disciplined by the school for attending the party.

Then on Saturday the paper reported Mr Zantuck was stood down by the school amid concerns raised of inappropriate touching at the private event celebrating the Haileybury boys’ football win over Caulfield Grammar to clinch the first division premiership.

The alleged touching ­was ­alleged to have occurred at the party.

Mr Zantuck has strenuously denied an allegation he inappropriately touched a teenage girl at a party attended by students, after police confirmed they were investigating the matter.

His lawyer, Greg Griffin, also denied the allegation and insisted his client had only knocked a woman into a chair by accident.

Bayside Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team confirmed that “detectives are investigating after a report of a sexual assault which occurred on July 29”.

It comes as Haileybury principal Derek Scott told the school community over the weekend that “we immediately stood down all staff involved whilst we investigated”.

Mr Lloyd returned to his role after a number of days, but Mr Zantuck has not.

Mr Scott said the school had “taken further disciplinary action against staff members who were regarded as having contravened professional obligations that require staff not to attend social gatherings with parents and students outside of school-organised events”.

“We are committed to taking every possible step to ensure this situation does not happen again,” he said.

Other private schools hiring external coaches have held crisis meetings, stressing the need for professional behaviour in all situations.