The principal of a school attended by three teenage girls believed to have travelled to Syria to join the Islamic State group, says police have found no evidence the missing students were radicalised there.
Mark Keary, principal of Bethnal Green Academy, east London, said that they were "shocked and saddened" by the disappearance of Shamima Begum, 15, Kadiza Sultana, 16, and 15-year-old Amira Abase.
Police spoke to the girls after another student disappeared in December and indicated at the time that there was no evidence that they were at risk of being radicalised or absconding, Mr Keary said.
He also said that access social media at the school is "strictly regulated". A tweet sent from a Twitter account under Shamima's name was sent to Aqsa Mahmood, who left Glasgow for Syria to be a "jihadi bride" in 2013.
In a statement issued at the school, Mr Keary said: "We are all shocked and deeply saddened by the news that three of our students have been reported missing from home, they boarded a flight to Istanbul from Gatwick Airport last week, and our thoughts are with the families of the missing girls at this time.
"This situation follows an earlier disappearance of a student in December of last year.
"The police spoke to that student's friends at the time and further to this, they indicated that there was no evidence that the girls were at risk of being radicalised or absconding. The police have also confirmed that the families of the missing girls were unaware of their plans to leave the country."
He said students are unable to access Twitter or Facebook on school computers.
The school is supporting the police investigation, he said, adding that police have requested that they make no further comment as the inquiry is ongoing.
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