I WOULD like to express my concern and dismay at your front-page articles and Opinion column's unjust and inaccurate portrayal of Beardwood School, Blackburn, as a dismissive and uncaring institution and of headteacher Roger Eckton as insensitive and concerned only with his own legal position (LET, April 29).

In my experience as headteacher of a local special school with long established links with Beardwood, (and incidentally formerly attended by Bilal Patel) this picture is far from the truth.

Beardwood is in fact a very caring and inclusive community school with an excellent reputation for meeting the needs of young people with disabilities, led by a headteacher whose heartfelt commitment to equal opportunities is well known and widely acknowledged.

The individual circumstances of this visit to Alton Towers are quite specific and any action taken by Mr Eckton ought to be seen in context.

The visit was a Saturday excursion on which pupils had chosen to go, not part of the curriculum or a formal programme of out-of-school activities. In this relatively unstructured context, the headteacher must still exercise the ' duty of care' for his pupils and must take all reasonable steps to ensure that no pupil is at risk.

It was Mr Eckton's informed judgement that Bilal would need individual adult supervision on a visit to Alton Towers where he may well have been at significantly more risk than other pupils taking part in the visit.

When the family member who had volunteered to undertake this supervision was unexpectedly unavailable, Mr Eckton then decided that Bilal would be unable to go on the trip without support.

What would the headline in your paper have been if an accident had happened to Bilal in an unsupervised situation?

Would the family, the school governing body, the community and the local education authority have been wholeheartedly supportive of the head teacher, or would he have been perceived as negligent, irresponsible and unprofessional?

Accidents can and do happen on school visits and I am sure that I do not need to draw your attention to the possible tragic consequences which damage and change the lives of all those involved.

I would urge that you do not pass judgment on Beardwood School and Roger Eckton on the basis of one incident of heartfelt disappointment and perceived injustice.

Taking pupils on any out of school visit, however worthwhile and enjoyable, is challenging, demanding and stressful.

It should be undertaken in a supportive climate in which the families and community involved appreciate the commitment and enthusiasm of the head and staff as well as acknowledging their very real concerns for their pupils' safety and well being when they are acting 'in loco parentis.'

MRS A L ABRAM, headteacher, Blackamoor Special School, Roman Road, Blackburn.

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