A HEADTEACHER has spoken of his pride and hope for a former Basildon schoolgirl who has made it through to the X-Factor final.

Not only can Rachel Adedeji, 18, count on the support of De La Salle school’s Mike Curnock, she is also being backed by last year’s winner Alexandra Burke.

Dr Curnock said Rachel was a regular in school talent shows and won a certificate for being the “most likely to become a superstar”.

Despite her almost being ousted on Saturday’s show, he is convinced she can go all the way and has already sent her two letters telling her how proud he is.

He said: “We have ‘vote Rachel’ posters all over the school and we are all rooting for her.

“We are a Catholic school and have been praying for her every Monday in assembly.

“Rachel used to sing in the school choir.

“I have told her in the letters she has a gracious presence on stage. She did very well academically. She is a humble girl and we are delighted for her.”

Rachel went to De La Salle Secondary School in Basildon until she was 16 and then attended colleges in Leyton and Greenwich to study performing arts.

Rachel, who beat girl group Kandy Rain in the sing-off, to scrape through to the next round, lived in Saint Francis Way, Chadwell St Mary, until five months ago, when she moved to Newham, East London, with her family.

Even though she came second from bottom in the viewers’ vote, her big sister Sandra Okunnu, 25, is still convinced she can win. She said: “I was at the live shows on Saturday and Sunday, it was really amazing, I couldn’t stop screaming.

“But when she was in the last two I was almost crying.

“She could not believe it, but she is staying really focused for next week.

“She is the liveliest person in our family, whenever she is at home. She is so loud.”

Rachel auditioned for the X Factor last year, where she met and became friends with the eventual winner Alexandra Burke.

Alexandra is 100 per cent behind her pal.

She said: “Rachel’s amazing. I think she’s incredible. I’m backing her to win. I’ve kept in touch with her and I love her to bits. I’m rooting for Rae Rae!”

This year’s X Factor is not short of stars from Essex. As well as Rachel, Olly Murs, 25, from Witham and Stacey Soloman, 20. from Dagenham are also through to the final 12.