School backs former pupil Morris

Estelle Morris makes regular visits to the school

The headteacher at Estelle Morris' former school says she is "devastated" at her resignation.

But Dame Jean Else, head at Whalley Range High School in Manchester, says she admires the way Ms Morris handled her resignation as education secretary.

Ms Morris was a pupil at the former grammar school until 1970.

Enviable record

Dame Jean said: "Some of the things Estelle helped to achieve as education secretary will come to be seen as spectacular successes."

She pointed to measures such as the reform of the curriculum for 14 to 19 year olds and tests to improve numeracy and literacy.

Dame Jean added: "The last five years have been the best educational period in the past 30 years."

She hopes Ms Morris, who still makes regular visits to the school, will be able to return to the Department of Education.

Whalley Range High School, which was founded in 1891, has 1,700 pupils and is in the top 10% in government performance tables.

The school counts the author of 101 Dalmatians, Dodie Smith, among its other notable alumni.