THIS week headteacher Maran White has told the Gazette of her ordeal facing assault charges after being accused of slapping colleague Anne Williams.

On Friday she was acquitted of the charge and wept with relief when she realised her nightmare was finally over.

But the headteacher, who was only just beginning to establish herself at Robert Le Kyng School in Swindon, still has her most difficult task ahead of her she has to unite her staff and ensure that the education of pupils there does not suffer from the fallout from the court case.

Any disunity in the staffroom could quickly transmit itself to the classroom and begin to affect the pupils.

Mrs White must be allowed to go back and get on with her job with the full backing of the governors and the support of all of the teaching staff.

The most difficult decision facing the school must be over what happens to Anne Williams.

Now that her accusation has been dealt with she will have to work alongside and underneath the woman she dragged into court.

The governors must decide if there is any way possible for the situation to work. Parents will be anxious to see that if does.

The case has shown how easy it is for a hard-working and respected professional to have their name and reputation besmirched by one wild accusation.

Mrs White deserves a public show of support from her governors and the education authority. A headteacher's job is made difficult enough by cash shortages and troublesome pupils without having such problems from the very staff who are supposed to be supporting them.