COMPLAINTS of pupils shouting abuse and causing a nuisance in Wanstead High Street have been put down to a lack of school facilities by the headteacher.

Wanstead High School head George Ferris said that because of the lack of suitable facilities, the school allows its year 10 and 11 children to go out at lunchtime.

Mr Ferris was speaking at Monday's area one committee meeting in Wanstead, after it was claimed that some pupils were causing trouble in the High Street.

Teenagers have been seen dropping litter, shouting abuse, behaving in an intimidating manner and generally causing a nuisance to businesses and shoppers.

The school has had numerous reports of the children's behaviour on a regular basis.

He said: While we take all these reports seriously and deal with them as best we can, the main problem is that we have a lack of facilities at this school.

The school when it was first opened was to cater for between 400 and 500 pupils, now we have 1,500 and there just aren't the facilities to cope.

Mr Ferris added: That is not an excuse but we also want to stress that it is a minority that cause the trouble. A majority of our pupils are well behaved.

Although the school has seen the development of new science and geography blocks during the past few years, the lack of social and recreation areas remains a concern.

The school also uses the Wanstead Leisure Centre next door to the school in Redbridge Lane West. But Mr Ferris said that although it provided much needed space, it did not offer a solution to the problem of where to put the youngsters at break-times.

At the meeting, residents and councillors put forward suggestions as to how the problem could be solved.

These included putting more teachers who can be visibly identified on to the streets, enabling older pupils who are prefects to patrol the areas where the youngsters are, staggered lunch breaks and more policing in the area.

Others called for more responsibility at home, with parents being told of their children's behaviour.

One woman, who has not been named, said: We would also like to point out that it is not only Wanstead High School pupils who are causing trouble. Regularly you see pupils in other school uniforms. It's very unfortunate but it really is only a minority who spoil it for the others.

Mr Ferris said: We as teachers can only do so much, but if people are experiencing problems with our pupils, we still want to hear from them."

Committee chairman Greg Eglin said: Although it's no excuse for pupils' behaviour, it's appalling that there is such a lack of facilities for a school of this size.

By.Laura Burkin