scandal

WANSTEAD’S Nightigale Senior High School is “Well run” and has a “Happy , purposeful atmosphere . “

Thats the opinion of one of the two people involved in the controversy involving the school - after visiting classrooms.

Liberal election candidate Alan Cornish accepted an invitation from Redbridge Mayor Bert Hamilton to visit the school following comments he made criticising large comprehensives.

He made an unannounced visit and was welcommed by headmaster Mr M. Wootton , who took him to various classes.

Later , Mr Cornish said : “ I was particularly impressed by the happy , purposeful atmosphere prevailing in the school , and the polite and business like behaviour of all the children I have met.”

Mr Cornish was shown several letters written by satisfied parents of children at the school.

Commented Mr Cornish : “Certainly it seems to me that any local parents should be pleased and proud to send their children to such a comprehensive school.”

He was “ pleased to note the importance” the school attatched to a satisfactory level of pupil-teacher contact and described Nightingale as “well run”.

In a letter to Mr Wootton , the Liberal candidate said : “There is sometimes a danger , in the larger comprehensive schools , of a loss of pupil-teacher contact, and I am sure that even if your school population rises from the present level of about 700 to the near 1,000 mark , you will not lose sight of this aspect.”

And he noted “the excellent standards now being acheived.”

Wanstead-Woodford MP Patrick Jenkin, who reported during the election that many people had expressed concern to him about the schools education standards,has not yet taken up the Mayor’s invitation.

The borough’s education department has said it has received “a number” of letters from parents against the schools current catchment area , which extends almost into Woodford Green.