Wakefield school bars sick boy over unpaid fees
A TEENAGE boy born with half a heart has been barred from the school he loves in a row over unpaid fees.
And Wakefield Independent School has also threatened to call a debt collecting agency in after James Waterhouse's recession-hit family failed to pay off some of their 2,500 debts to the school in Nostell.
The 13-year-old has had his name removed from the school roll and his family were told he could not return for the autumn term that started this week.
Although a children's charity is hoping to step in and pay the fees for the rest of James' schooling, Wakefield Independent School is refusing to budge.
Mum Sharon Waterhouse, 32, said problems began when the Waterhouse family's transport firm went into liquidation after a client failed to pay them.
The mum-of-two, of Cherry Tree Road, Walton, sought charity trust funding which looked set to pay toward future fees. But the school demanded monthly payments until the trust money kicked in.
She offered to pay 50 a month until her son completed his education but the school demanded the money in two lump sums before James went back to school. The family wanted a meeting with governors but say they were told they couldn't have one.
Then last month Mrs Waterhouse received a letter from the school saying James shouldn't go back this term. The letter said her husband, Gavin, had attended a meeting at the school and promised to pay 1,000 but no money had been received.
The mum, speaking of her son's response to not being allowed back to school, said: "James was heartbroken. He was crying because he has settled in so much. It's like more disruption again."
She told how James, who was born with Tricuspid Atresia and not given a life expectancy much beyond his teens, had struggled in mainstream school and was badly bullied.
But James, who sometimes uses a wheelchair, has thrived at private Wakefield Independent School over the past 18 months.
Mrs Waterhouse: "He has loved it, absolutely loved it. The school is so small, the teachers go to them for lessons."
James is now trying to get into other private schools but could face the prospect of home-tutoring. Mrs Waterhouse believes his education is going to suffer drastically in the meantime.
She claimed: "He will suffer mentally even more sitting around. That's what's worrying me more. He will become more depressed because he's not at school and is not doing anything."
Mrs Waterhouse also told of the letter referring to debt collectors if the account wasn't paid by August 20, adding: "I was shocked if I'm honest. I just couldn't believe it. I was just mortified and was surprised by their tone."
Alan Dark, from the Frank Buttle Trust, which provides grant aid to help children and young people in desperate need, travelled from London to visit the family. He said the trust was likely to make an award.
A statement from the governors at Wakefield Independent School said: "This matter is highly confidential"
The school was given numerous chances to comment further but failed to respond.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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