A headteacher at a Suffolk boarding school has pledged to offer two free places for Syrian refugees, and is calling on other school leaders to do the same.

East Anglian Daily Times: Fran D'Alcorn, head of St Felix School, Southwold.Fran D'Alcorn, head of St Felix School, Southwold. (Image: �Archant 2013)

Fran D’Alacorn, headteacher at St Felix School in Southwold, said she would be offering boarding accommodation, education and pastoral support to two children who have been caught up in the Syrian migrant crisis.

Speaking to the East Anglian Daily Times this morning, she said: “We have a long tradition of helping children from war torn countries and we are offering two free places for Syrian refugee orphans that the Prime Minister is granting refugee status.

“The school does support humanitarian good causes and it does feature in our heritage.

“From the very earliest days we had Serbian refugees in World War One, we had 200 German Jewish boys here which came over in 1938 and 1939.

East Anglian Daily Times: Syrian migrants arrive at the coast on a dinghy after crossing from Turkey, at the island of Lesbos, Greece. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)Syrian migrants arrive at the coast on a dinghy after crossing from Turkey, at the island of Lesbos, Greece. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

“In the second half of the twentieth century we had students from Iran after the turmoil there and so some from Uganda.

“They would be pupils or students and we would provide them with the stability and support they would need, working continually with the Suffolk and Norfolk authorities.

“As a relatively small school, I do feel that other boarding schools could also help in this initiative and help educate these children so that when Syria possibly calms down again they can return and help rebuild it.

“I would encourage my fellow leaders to follow this initiative.”