Reinstated pupil gets school pledge

A schoolgirl who was expelled for criticising her teachers but then reinstated, said yesterday she had been given an assurance that she would not be victimised. Sarah Briggs, 15 (left), was told she could return to Queen Elizabeth's Girls School at Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, when the new term starts next month. The decision was taken at a meeting of school governors, senior teachers and the family solicitor on Thursday.

Sarah was thrown out last month halfway through her GCSE course after writing to a local newspaper claiming that pupils' work was affected by teachers absenteeism. Headteacher Nicola Atkin demanded a written apology, but Sarah refused. She wrote a letter to Ms Atkin outlining her complaints and was expelled. Trevor Phillips, page 15