Five Hendon schoolchildren who have not had the controversial MMR vaccine are at the centre of a suspected outbreak of measles at an Edgware school.

Parents at the Menorah Foundation Jewish VA Primary in Abbots Road have been advised to contact their doctors to discuss vaccination after Barnet Health Authority confirmed one case of measles at the school and said another four suspected cases are being tested at the Public Health Laboratory Service in Colindale.

All the pupils live in the Hendon area and a sixth suspected case, who does not attend the school, lives in Edgware. All six children have not had the MMR vaccination.

"There is no doubt measles is circulating in the community," said NHS consultant in communicable disease control Dr Sukhdev Sharma. "Those who were protected are not getting it and those who were not, are."

Menorah Foundation School's headteacher Clare Newberger has been advised to encourage parents at Menorah Foundation to have their children vaccinated. She was not available for comment.

One mother at the school, who did not want to be named, said: "It's not a problem at all. Most parents have their children vaccinated and mine have been."

A spokesman for Barnet Council said: "We understand that none of the children have been admitted to hospital and are making good progress. Most of the children at the school have had MMR and the majority of the school has been vaccinated. We advise parents to contact their doctor to discuss immunisation further if they have been in direct contact with cases of measles."

Similar outbreaks around the country have highlighted the reluctance among parents to get their children vaccinated with the MMR vaccine.

In Barnet, only 78 per cent of two-year-olds received the vaccination in 2000/01 compared with 91 per cent in 1996/97.

The reaction followed research by former Royal Free Hospital consultant gastoenterologist Andrew Wakefield which provoked fears that the combined injection carried a risk of autism and bowel disease.