Hi everyone!
Would be really grateful for your opinions on this situation...
I have a 16 year old daughter, who was withdrawn from an independent school by the headmistress on the final day of the school year (June, 2012) The headmistress's reasoning behind this decision has yet to be explained... although we have asked on several occasions. She made it clear that this was NOT an expulsion or a suspension it was just simply a withdrawal, and her name has been taken of the school register, so my daughter is no longer a student at the school. As I am sure you can understand, it has been difficult for my husband and I to get her into a different school/sixth form at this late stage... so we have to make do with having her temporarily homeschooled with tutors etc.
The school fee for 2011/2012 has been paid off in full, so we do not owe the school any money.
After many meetings with the headmistress, the decision was made that my daughter could re-enroll to the school at any time, of course my husband and I would very much like to jump at the chance! There is a slight problem, the headmistress is demanding the full years school fee of £19,480 upfront even though my daughter will not be at the school for the full year.
The issue we are having, is that the school withdrew my daughter, took her name off the register and still want a full years worth of school fees!!
We found out from a parent who recently enrolled her daughter into the school in January that they only paid a calculated pro rata fee for january-june.
My question is, are the school really allowed to charge us the full amount and a different student a pro rata amount. providing that they withdrew my daughter and removed her name of the register.
Am I right in thinking that once a school withdraws a student the contract is deemed to be over?
I would be grateful if you could provide me with some advice on this one as it's driving me crazy!