STAFF and pupils at Wallasey School in Leasowe are mourning their headmaster, Peter Johnson, who died on Sunday after a long battle against leukaemia.

Mr Johnson, 53, who lived in Aughton near Ormskirk, had been head of the school since 1988, when it was formed following the merger of Henry Meoles and Oxley schools. Before that, he had been head of Henry Meoles for six years.

Deputy head David Beacher paid a warm tribute to Mr Johnson after telling his pupils the sad news on Monday morning. "Peter was a charismatic, caring, loyal leader, an excellent communicator with a good sense of humour," he said. "To the pupils he was a friendly, cheerful face who took immense pride in their achievements."

Mr Johnson had advised government ministers as a member of the Secondary Headteachers' Association's national executive. Under his stewardship, Wallasey School won the 1992 Schools' Curriculum Award and recently became the first Merseyside school to receive the Basic Skills Quality Mark.

The funeral will be held at St. Michael's Church, Aughton, at 1pm on Thursday.

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