Headteacher Elizabeth CooperONE of Swindon's top schools is without its two main players. Ridgeway School in Wroughton has confirmed headteacher Elizabeth Cooper is today starting weeks of certified sick leave.

It comes as business manager Astrid Morris is already on a prolonged period of sick leave.

Peter Lay, the school's chairman of governors, said: "I was informed on Friday evening that she (Mrs Cooper) is on a period of certified sick leave.

"She was doing a lot of work from home. Many people from the school were in regular contact.

"She has been into school over the past week and is now on a period of certified sick leave.

"Over the last week or so she has been spending some time working from home.

"That suited her and suited the school and the nature of work she was doing."

He said he thought that she would be off for around four weeks.

Swindon Council has said there was an internal matter at the school which had been resolved by the governors.

But Mr Lay would not go into any more detail about Mrs Cooper's absence.

"I am afraid outside of what I have said to you I can't comment at all," he said.

Mr Lay also confirmed that Mrs Morris had been away from the school for some time.

"Astrid has been off sick for a period of time, on certified sick leave, and that is all I can say," he said.

A Swindon Council spokesman said: "The governors have resolved an internal matter."

Ridgeway School opened in 1967 as the first purpose-built comprehensive school in Wiltshire.

The school was awarded specialist science college status in 2003 and has developed a Creative Planet science centre at the school site.

And at the end of last year, it was boosted with £400,000 lottery cash to help improve its sporting facilities.

Mrs Cooper became headteacher at Ridgeway in 2001, taking over from Tom Axon, who left after 22 years of service at the school.

Isabel Field