Woodhead controversy: Student denies question was personal

STUDENTS WHO attended the lecture given by Chris Woodhead were adamant last night that the man who asked the Chief Inspector of Schools about sexual relationships between teachers and pupils had not had a similar experience himself. This undermined Mr Woodhead's explanation that he had answered the question sympathetically saying that sexual relationships could be "experimental" and "educative" because he was responding to a question of personal significance for the student.

Toby Parkin, a final year education student who asked the question had last night not returned to his halls of residence in Exeter after a weekend with his family in Truro.

But fellow students said he had asked the question because he was interested in Woodhead's position on legislation going through Parliament and knew of his affair with a former pupil. "Toby had asked one of our lecturers about the question and she thought it was really funny and wanted him to ask it and see what happened," said Laura-Sue Elston, 23, a final year student.

Students from the Rowancroft Halls of Residence where Mr Parkin lives said they thought it was unlikely Mr Woodhead would have responded in the same way had he not had an affair with one of his own former pupils. They did not condone the relationship but said that it had happened a long time ago and they were more concerned about Mr Woodhead's position on the issue today. "That sort of character trait doesn't go away," said Miss Elston. "We wouldn't dream of having a relationship with a pupil because it is totally unprofessional.

Andy Bright, 21, said: "Toby wasn't able to catch him out but I don't think his comments were right because teachers and students have a special relationship and you can't exploit that.

One student teacher said he thought Mr Woodhead's claim that he was reassuring a trainee teacher he "thought was in trouble" did not ring true: "None of us are fully qualified teachers yet. We haven't been in the profession long enough to get ourselves into that kind of bother."