Parents at a high-performing primary school have expressed shock and confusion after finding out that a temporary headteacher is now in charge.

Popular headteacher Carey Neil, credited for much of West Wimbledon Primary School’s recent success, will not be at work for an ‘extended period’ according to a newsletter issued by interim head Simon Harris.

Parents, concerned by the fact that the Standards Testing Agency (STA) has been conducting an investigation into this year's SAT results at the school, said they were not informed of the change of leadership until they received the newsletter from Mr Harris earlier this term.

Merton Council’s cabinet member for education, Councillor Martin Whelton, said: "Due to personal reasons Mrs Neil has taken an extended leave of absence.

"An interim headteacher is in place."

A father of a child at the school who asked not to be named said: "A few of the teachers left at the end of the summer term and I spoke to Mrs Neil.

"She was looking forward to the new term.

"It seemed a bit weird when she didn’t come back.

"It is annoying we haven’t been told anything - it affects the children."

He added Mrs Neil is a lovely person who was always available to help pupils and parents should they need it.

"They won’t tell us anything about what’s happening or the reasons why," he added.

Mr Harris was the former temporary headteacher at Garden Primary School in Mitcham, which was in special measures and has now been taken over by the Harris Federation.

Today he refused to add anything to the brief statement made by Coun Whelton about Mrs Neil's surprise absence.

Back in December 2012 the acting chair of governors at the school, Kevin O'Byrne, paid fulsome tribute to Mrs Neil for the school's excellent SAT results in a letter to the Wimbledon Guardian.

He said: "We could not ask for better leadership or a more caring, more engaged headteacher. Our successes were designed, built and inspired by her, and there are still more to come."

A spokesman for the STA, whose job is to investigate allegations of maladministration to determine whether there is doubt over the accuracy or correctness of results, confirmed this week that its investigation into the SAT results had concluded satisfactorily: "Following an investigation into results at West Wimbledon Primary School earlier this year, the decision has now been made to release the school’s test results."

The results will not be published until early next year.

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