THE teacher who uncovered sex abuse by teacher Richard Small at Dr Challoner's Grammar School in the 1980s said she "felt let down" by how the then headteacher dealt with the scandal.

Former biology teacher Mary Brett brought allegations to ex-headteacher John Loarridge about Small in 1987 but education chiefs were not alerted until 1991.

Small was jailed for four years in January after he admitted indecently assaulting three pupils of the school, in Chesham Road, Amersham.

Retired Mrs Brett, who advises Challoner's pupils against drugs, said: "I really feel badly let down by this. I did not realise that he (Mr Loarridge) had not sent the letter to the council warning about Small."

Mrs Brett said she also asked Mr Loarridge to recommend that Small was put on List 99 a register of teachers suspected of abuse but this was not done either.

Mrs Brett added: "I felt he (Small) must never work again with children."

Meanwhile a victim of Small questioned how Small was taken on at Dr Challoner's in 1973 by Mr Loarridge.

Edward Short, 36, who has given up his right to anonymity, said he was puzzled to learn in the report that Small left his previous school for "health reasons".

Barrister Alex Ruck Keene, who led the inquiry, also expressed "dissatisfaction" as to the circumstances surrounding Small's departure from his previous school in Warwick.

But Mr Ruck Keene said he was satisfied that Mr Loarridge did take up a reference "albeit only in the form of a telephone conversation and not a letter".

The independent inquiry into the school, while Small worked there, praised Mrs Brett for her role in uncovering the abuse.

Mrs Brett spoke to pupils who had been abused and kept typed notes of the allegations they had made.

She said these were presented to Mr Loarridge and were subsequently produced for the inquiry. Instead of notifying the county council Mr Loarridge removed Small by inventing a story about a family which would press charges against Small if he did not leave.

The report criticised the ex-head for this and his failure to alert the council in 1987.

But Mr Ruck Keene said he thought Mr Loarridge was acting in his pupils' best interests.

Small left the school in 1987 and forged a successful career as a Conservative Party agent in Aylesbury.

He later worked with Aylesbury MP David Lidington before being arrested in 2002.

Mr Loarridge said: "I took the course of action that would most immediately and permanently keep my pupils from risk."