LONDON (AFP) - British police arrested a 15-year-old male pupil after a female teacher was stabbed to death at a Catholic school on Monday in a rare attack on educational staff.

Anne Maguire, a 61-year-old Spanish teacher, suffered multiple stab wounds in the incident which was witnessed by other children at Corpus Christi Catholic College in Leeds, northern England.

Prime Minister David Cameron was among those offering their condolences.

"My thoughts are with the family of Anne Maguire, as well as the staff and pupils of Corpus Christi school, where she was stabbed to death," he said.

Police said teachers at the school captured the suspect at the scene and held him until officers arrived.

The teacher died later in hospital.

"There were a number of stab wounds to the lady in question," said Chief Superintendent Paul Money of West Yorkshire Police.

Violence at British schools has risen in recent years, and there has been growing concern over knife attacks involving teenagers.

But fatal attacks on teachers are extremely rare.

Maguire's death is believed to be the first of its kind since 1995, when London headmaster Philip Lawrence was stabbed to death outside the gates of his school as he went to help a pupil.