THOSE who know and work with Croydon's X Factor sensation Hannah Barrett are backing her to go all the way on the ITV show.
Hannah got through to the boot camp stage after her performances on last weekend's shows reduced judges to tears.
The 17-year-old is studying for her A Levels having been temporarily excluded from Archbishop Lanfranc School for a "respite" term at the Croydon African Caribbean Family Organisation education centre.
The centre is known to take in pupils with behavioural issues but interim head Patricia Oliver said that all seemed to be behind Hannah.
"Hannah was never properly excluded, she just needed some help in a few subjects like maths and English. She did well enough that she could return to do her A Levels and we wish her every success.
"She was a hard-working student and a very confident girl who was always a good spokesperson for the group."
Mrs Oliver taught Hannah but had no idea about her X Factor appearances.
She added: "My husband and I were shocked when we sat down to watch but by the end we both had tears in our eyes.
"I wasn't shocked because she used to serenade us in class and we always knew she was seriously talented. I think she could be a winner because she's amazing and everyone here is behind her."
Hannah, who works part time at Greggs in Thornton Heath, revealed on last week's show that her father, who died two years ago, was her musical inspiration.
Since then she has fallen out with her mother and moved into temporary accommodation.
Hannah's renditions of Emeli Sandé's Read All About It and Jennifer Hudson's One Night Only were shown on consecutive nights last weekend. The judges made two unanimous decisions to put her through to the next stage of the competition.
Ex-Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger called Hannah "my little Nina Simone" and fellow judge Sharon Osborne added: "For someone who sells sausage rolls and is 17 years old, that was wonderful."
