‘Inadequate’ school make legal threat to parent over fees
A Maidstone prep school is threatening to take a parent to court over unpaid fees after children were removed following an appalling Ofsted report.
Shernold School, in Hill Place, off Queens Avenue, was blasted by inspectors in June for failing to carry out pre-employment checks, its inadequate leadership structure and its dangerous play equipment – with nails protruding at eye-level from one piece of apparatus.
Shernold, which has 150 pupils, was rated inadequate and told it must make urgent changes.
One of those to remove his children in the wake of the findings was David Houston.
Mr Houston, of Otham Lane, Bearsted, had two sons at the school – Dillon, nine, and sevenyear-old Jake – and immediately moved them to Palace Wood after the report was published.
He said he became concerned about the school’s provision for children with learning difficulties, meaning Dillon – who has autism and ADHD – was not getting the help he needed.
Ofsted’s findings added to those concerns and confirmed his worries about the way Shernold was being run.
He said: “Ofsted openly said it’s disgusting. I cannot believe people continue to sign up to it. It’s appalling.”
The 32-year-old added: “There’s been a remarkable improvement since Dillon’s gone to Palace Wood – he’s gone from being two years behind to a year ahead.”
It is written in Mr Houston’s contract that if parents remove their children early they must pay a full term’s fees and therefore Shernold is demanding £2,100.
However, Mr Houston says he will not pay the money as he believes Shernold broke the terms of the contract first by failing to fulfil its educational duties.
He added he was aware of at least six more parents in the same position, although the school denies this.
Ceri Porter, Shernold’s bursar, said: “We are taking action against one parent who has refused to honour the agreement that a term’s fees should be paid in full if a child is withdrawn before the end of term.
“This is an isolated case and no other parents are involved.”
She confirmed three families took the decision to remove their children due to the Ofsted report.