Former principal tearful over students' support

1.00pm

Cambridge High School's former principal wept as students rallied outside her house this morning.

A Herald reporter in Cambridge estimated that about 500 students took part in the march.

Several students, lead by Nicky Maaka, performed the school's haka in front of Alison Annan and her husband Ron, before singing a verse of the song, 'Lean on Me'.

Mrs Annan, who resigned on Friday in light of a damning New Zealand Qualifications Authority report into the school, told the students 'you have warmed my heart'.

"I am so proud of you all. This is what a school is. It's not buildings down the back of the school, it is you. You are our school and you have done a magnificent job today."

However, Mrs Annan showed that she was still a principal at heart.

"Thank you, but now you are all going to go back to that school, and you are going to work so hard and your examination performance is going to be absolutely outstanding. You are wonderful. I will never forget this day for as long as I live," she said.

The students marched from the high school to the town square, before walking back to the school, past Mrs Annan's house.

They carried banners, including one bearing the school's motto, Fortiter et Recte -- which means to be strong, or to have the courage to do the right thing. Other banners read "strength", "integrity", "courage" and "mana".

Deputy head boy Anthony Blackmoore said the school would not be the same without her.

"She's got that school out of a rut. She's taken it through a new educational system (NCEA), she's done an all-round good job, and I think she can hold her head high. I think everything she's done has been in the best interest of her students," he said.

Parent Roy Lewis, who has two children at the school, said Mrs Annan had turned the school around.

"The majority of parents don't want her to leave. We're disgusted about what has happened. The lady hasn't committed murder, she has resigned. It's totally against her character to do anything against the school to bring it down. Without her, there wouldn't be a decent school in Cambridge."

Another supporter of Mrs Annan thought what had happened was "absolutely disgusting".

"She has turned that high school from 'Cannabis High' to a really great school.

"Any issues have been blown totally out of proportion, and the media hasn't reported that good things that have happened. The students don't want her to go. I just feel absolutely disgusted," he said.

Mrs Annan resigned last Friday after the NZQA report about the school's NCEA programme and claims of staff bullying.

Education officials ordered Cambridge High School to axe its credit catch-up programme where students were not taught but did tests on tasks such as completing a curriculum vitae for NCEA.

Education Minister Trevor Mallard has appointed two limited statutory managers and an acting principal to run the school.

- NZPA