Islington Tribune - by MARK BLUNDEN Published: 25 May 2007
Truanting pupils face clampdown
A BLITZ on truanting pupils hanging out on a Highbury estate has been launched.Youngsters have reportedly been seen jumping over the fence of Highbury Grove School, in Highbury Grove, Highbury, to smoke cannabis in the stairwells of the Spring Gardens estate. There have been a number of alleged incidents of the teenagers intimidating residents. Henry Jones, Highbury Grove’s associate headteacher, said: “The school takes its responsibilities very seriously and, if there’s ever a complaint of students being where they shouldn’t, we will respond immediately.
“Our responsibilities don’t stop at the school gates, they extend to the area outside the school.”
Mr Jones added that it was imperative that residents contacted him as soon as they experienced problems.
He said: “We are not psychic and we can’t guess when there is a problem but I am giving a commitment that we will always respond immediately.”
* Last week, the Tribune reported how a teenager allegedly attacked a disabled man on the Spring Gardens estate.
Mr Jones has asked us to make it clear that the boy allegedly involved is not a pupil at Highbury Grove, having been expelled from the school three years ago.