May 29, 2001 9:35: THE future of a failed Fresh Start school is still undecided, despite rumours the site has been sold to a top selective school.

The news the site of Telegraph Hill Secondary School, in Wallbutton Road, Brockley, may be sold to Haberdashers' Aske's, has been so widespread the Pepys Road school's principal, Dr Elizabeth Sidwell, has taken the unusual step of sending a letter to parents and prospective parents outlining the school's position.

Dr Sidwell said in the letter Lewisham Local Education Authority had approached the school about assisting with a proposed sixth-form centre.

She denied Haberdashers' Aske's is to buy up the Telegraph Hill school site and said there was "no question of releasing our Jerningham Road site".

But the letter contradicts a council statement, in which education chiefs said as far as selling the site was concerned, it was "presently working with the schools of north Lewisham and other local 16-19 education providers, including Aske's and Lewisham College, on this".

Council spokesman said: "These proposals are likely to involve the current Telegraph Hill site but discussions about the site are at an initial stage and there are certainly no firm plans."

The council also claimed about 45 pupils remained at the school waiting to be placed for September 2001 out of an initial group of 520. According to one source, 10 students from Telegraph Hill are set to be placed at Aske's and others are set to join Mallory School. Telegraph Hill is set to close over the summer after being ranked second last in a national table of GCSE results last December.

Lewisham Council was forced last week to admit it had no intention to use Telegraph Hill as a secondary school from the next academic year.

The troubled school received £2m to relaunch itself under the Government's Fresh Start scheme in September 1999 but soon ran into trouble after government-appointed "superhead" Michael Davis resigned in July 2000.