Cleared

MARAN White, the headmistress accused of slapping a colleague, was today waiting to find out whether she would get her job back after being cleared.

The 51-year-old headteacher of Robert Le Kyng Primary School in Westcott Street was accused of striking colleague Anne Williams during a heated row over a budget.

But Devizes Magistrates' Court found Mrs White not guilty of common assault.

The court had been told that she was the victim of a carefully planned attempt to depose her from her post at the school.

Defence solicitor, Annabelle Pilling, said that 50-year-old Mrs Williams' evidence was littered with inconsistencies.

After being cleared, Mrs White, who has been suspended from her post since last July, made no comment other than to thank the press for respecting her and her pupils' privacy.

But the National Association of Headteachers' regional officer, Martin Plaster, said he would be calling for an urgent investigation by governors, the LEA and other authorities.

He said: "Mrs White is obviously delighted that the charge so maliciously made against her has been dismissed and that she can now, without a stain on her character, look forward to resuming the career in which she has been so successful and which has been interrupted by this protracted case.

"Clearly there are aspects of this case that will require further examination, not least the reasons why such a transparently false and maliciously motivated allegation by a disgruntled member of staff was pursued against Mrs White in the first place resulting in a massive waste of public time and money as well as enormous distress to Mrs White and her family."

Despite being cleared of the charge it is not yet known whether Mrs White, of Croft Road, Old Town, will be reinstated to the headship of Robert Le Kyng Primary.

Swindon Council confirmed a meeting has been arranged to decide the best way forward.

But Philip Ashdown, the school's chairman of governors dropped a broad hint that Mrs White would be reinstated as head of the school.

He said: "It was the governors' choice to suspend Mrs White, and having heard the result of the case we will have to review her suspension. She was suspended because of the court case and now that has gone so the reason for her suspension has gone."

Hilary Pitts, Swindon Council's director of education, said: "We can confirm that a meeting between senior local education authority officers and representatives of the school's governing body has been arranged to determine the best way forward following the court's decision.

"We can make no further comment at this stage."

It is understood that Mrs White has strong support among the town's primary and secondary schools.

Andrew Nye, head of Seven Fields Primary School and one of the town's senior headteachers said the case should never have gone to court.

He said: "This should have been dealt with internally as a matter between two teachers and a prosecution was a totally inappropriate response.

"All heads are vulnerable to accusations such as this when there are no other adults present. Headteachers often need to discuss matters with other teachers in private, meaning we are all open to accusations such as this.

"How do you defend yourself against such a charge?"