Missing Daniel - school saftey message

CHILDREN returning to class today following the disappearance of their school mate Daniel Entwistle will be reassured of their safety the headteacher said.

Keith Egleton, headteacher of Greenacre First, Middle and Nursery School, said staff will try to give its 447 pupils as normal a day as possible.

Since year three pupil Daniel disappeared, Mr Egleton has kept the school open and walked the streets of the Barrack estate providing a listening ear for residents.

He has visited the boy's parents David and Paula several times a day.

Mr Egleton, said: "My prime concern is for the family and we as a school want to provide them with as much support as we can.

"We also want to provide a facility for the community should they want a place to come and be together.

"Parents may need to be reassured. There will be many things going through peoples' minds and they will want to be reassured that the school is a safe place."

Daniel's class teacher and chairman of the governors have also visited the family.

Trained counsellors from local education authority Norfolk County Council have been put on stand-by to talk to pupils if they want help, he said.

Daniel's disappearance will be the main topic of today's morning assembly.

"The purpose of the assembly will be to deal with what we have to at that time and if there is no news we will attempt to reassure the children and attempt to provide as normal an environment as we possibly can,' said Mr Egleton.

He describing Daniel as a "lovely little boy. He's everything his mum has described him as.

"He's a little boy of whom we are enormously fond, because he is friendly and is constantly speaking to staff and is very engaging.

"Daniel is a boy who receives an awful lot of support from the school.

"I just want him to turn up. I just want him to be found safe and with his mum and dad again and we want him back at school.'

The youngster also attended a pupil referral unit part time.