Parents are demanding to know why a popular deputy head teacher has not been at work for five months.

Parents whose children attend Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, in Basuto Road, Fulham, fear the well-liked Mrs Margaret Gillespie is being quietly ‘got rid of’. This follows a row three years ago when the previous headteacher, Gerry Mulligan, left the school.

Furious parents at the time vowed to oust the board of governors from the school over the decision not to renew Mr Mulligan’s contract.

They claimed the board of 11, chaired by Simon Guest at the time and now chaired by Seana Bengtsson, wanted to remove the popular 68-year-old purely because of his age.

Now they fear the same thing is happening to Mrs Gillespie at the Diocese of Westminster-run school.

Concerned parent Kim Hambi said: “Mrs Gillespie disappeared in November 2013. We had no information at all about why she was no longer at the school until we asked and asked.

“Requests for a meeting with the headteacher to explain the situation went completely ignored, as did numerous emails before we finally got a reply saying she was on paid authorised leave. Mrs Gillespie is highly respected and loved by the children and parents at the school.

“And I speak for many parents by saying that we are worried that she is being got rid of in the same manner that they removed the last permanent headteacher, Mr Mulligan, three years ago.

“Mrs Gillespie worked with Mr Mulligan and under their direction the school had an outstanding Ofsted report.”

She pointed out the school has gone from an excellent Ofsted rating to needing improvement, and added: “Getting rid of Mr Mulligan was a big mistake and if the same happens to Mrs Gillespie it would be appalling.”

The last Ofsted inspection in December last year said more needed to be done to improve the school but praised recent efforts by the current headteacher to improve.

A spokeswoman for the school said: “Mrs Gillespie is currently on paid authorised leave from the school pending the resolution of sensitive and confidential internal matters.

“The parents of the children have been informed of this fact, and have received clarification as to the interim organisational structure put in place during her leave.

“The Ofsted report was overwhelmingly positive, and stated that significant and welcome improvement had been achieved under the leadership of the current head.”