A head teacher has denied that he expelled a student who was about to sit his GCSE exams simply because he failed to turn up for a school photograph.

Andrew Tardios, head of St John's senior school in Enfield, north London, said Adam Agius, 16, had been banned for refusing to apologise for his "truancy".

Adam, of Winchmore Hill, north London, said he was expelled after failing to be at school when the photograph was taken.

He claimed he was working on exam essays at home.

Mr Tardios said on Tuesday that Adam had been punished for his "defiant and aggressive" attitude when asked to apologise for his truancy.

"He was very rude in front of myself and another teacher," he said. "I'm not having that sort of vile behaviour. So I expelled him yesterday."

Apologies

Four students had failed to turn up for the photo session.

Two had apologised straight away and had been allowed back into lessons.

A third intended to do so, he had been notified, and would also be allowed back.

Adam could likewise apologise and be readmitted.

"It is a matter of principle," Mr Tardios said.

"We are a school that does well and good standards and good behaviour is part of that."

All those taking their GCSEs at the small independent school usually get the higher grades, putting it top in the borough in the league tables. And it has a zero truancy rate.

Adam's mother had previously written a letter to the school apologising for an earlier absence.

'Backed into a corner'

But in a letter to Mr Tardios about the latest incident, Adam's father, Anthony, said: "Adam was threatened with being prohibited from sitting his GCSEs, not by one master, but by two, in response to his not being present or on time on the day of the school photograph.

"Fifty lines or a detention would have been more appropriate.

"You backed him into a corner, threatening him with your ultimate deterrent and he came out fighting."

Mr Agius said it was "important" hsi son suffered no more disruption to taking his GCSEs.

"You state you have punished Adam and presumably therefore the school has drawn a line under these events."