TWICKENHAM'S Orleans House Gallery received high praise last week and according to a top government official it can match exhibitions from around the world.

Head of Museums Education at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Keith Nichol, wrote to the head of Richmond upon Thames Council's Arts Service after his recent inspiring visit' to the local art gallery. He said: "The breadth and quality of your work is exemplary and shows that the aims of our evolving strategy for museum and gallery education can be realised with the right mix of artists, teachers and others working together.

"I was particularly struck by the benefits that have accrued from strong working partnerships within the local authority structure, and will reflect on how we might support such arrangements more effectively on a national scale."

Mr Nichol singled out the recent Alpha to Omega' exhibition for high praise, in which pupils from Waldegrave School for Girls, Twickenham, Teddington School and and St Mary's and St Peter's Primary, Teddington had exhibited work. He said: "The quality of the work was a credit to everyone involved and some of the pieces created by the students stand comparison with anything I have seen so far this year in London, Edinburgh or San Francisco."

Richmond's cabinet member for the arts, Cllr Roger Avins, said: "This all confirms what we have known for a long time, that our Arts Service is achieving tremendous results and exhibitors at our galleries display terrific talent. It's hugely rewarding for local pupils and their teachers to hear such glowing and deserved comments."