Exclusive: Students banned from posh Croydon school after prank goes wrong
EXCLUSIVE
By Anna Edwards
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BANNED: The students have been told to stay away from Whitgift School
anna.edwards@essnmedia.co.uk
Around 40 students have been banned from one of Croydon's poshest schools after a prank that got out of hand.
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Sixth-formers at prestigious Whitgift School have also been ordered to hand over money - or else teachers will call in the police and phone the boys' intended universities.
Pupils sneaked into the school site so they could turn a sailing boat in the grounds into a pirate ship and leave it on the driveway.
But the joke, for "muck up day" - an unofficial prank day, turned sour when a fence panel was broken and some offensive graffiti was sprayed on a wall.
Teachers at the £12,000-a-year school in Nottingham Road, South Croydon, didn't see the funny side.
Students say around 40 pupils have been ordered to admit to the vandalism, with some told to pay £45 each to replace the broken fence and others £75 each to clean the wall.
One pupil, who asked not to be named, said: "Early in the morning pupils broke into the school by jumping the fence and dragging a sailing boat up to the drive.
"They were going to turn it into a pirate ship, it wasn't in bad taste or meant to be offensive.
"But someone broke a fence panel and some people wrote stuff on the wall about teachers."
The pupil says fellows students are outraged as they claim the school would pocket at least £1,900 if everyone pays up.
He added: "It was a stupid thing to do, it got out of hand and I'm not saying people are blameless but the school's charging hundreds for repairs, I don't know how they can charge that."
In a letter to pupils' parents, second master John Pitt wrote: "As criminal damage occurred, we reserve the right to involve the police and contact your son's intended university destination.
"We will not do so provided your son acknowledges their part in these incidents, pays for the damage, stays away from the Whitgift site unless attending an examination and refrains from any further poor behaviour."
The pupil says the letter "is essentially blackmail".
He added: "They have no proof whatsoever who was involved - most of these students have exemplary records and now they're not allowed near the school.
"Some people were not involved but the school is saying own up and pay for damage for us not to go any further.
"This could affect our futures."
Mr Pitt defended the school's actions, and says he is holding meetings with parents and pupils to discuss the matter.
He said: "This is not blackmail, it simply points out they must accept responsibility.
"We set very high standards here, and the boys behaved in a very disappointing way so we've taken a firm line and we're not unreasonable.
"The groundsman and estate manager have fixed the panel and wall and we asked the boys to pay for what they are responsible for."
To compound their plight, as things got out of hand, the pranksters had to abandon their plan to turn the sailing boat into a pirate ship.
Comments
by Kelvin, Whitgift area
Wednesday, August 26 2009, 6:05PM
“I am a Year 6 student of Whitgift starting September 2009.
I think the teachers were right and the students were meant to pay.
If you oppose against it, then will you like it if someone spayed graffiti on ALL OF YOUR POSSESSIONS? Thank you.”
by ANNE, SELSDON
Friday, June 12 2009, 12:55PM
“Graham - what a very nice guy you are!”
by Graham, Woldingham
Thursday, June 11 2009, 10:34PM
“I don't know this Anne lady, haven't seen much of her other posts and can't, on the face of it, see why a load of you seem to have it in for her. There's some good sense in a lot of what she says and if you ask me she's the one baiting you and winning the bets! Bottom line is, and this thread has digressed somewhat, but if you had the choice/opportunity/chance or whatever you want to call it to send your kid to the Whitgift or a Croydon comprehensive only an idiot would choose the latter. And I don't think they've handled this well either but there's absolutely no comparison. I won't have the money (and they probably won't have the mental or physical ability) to send them to an independent secondary in this area but I'll go down trying.”
by Thadious Mcfarious, Surrey
Wednesday, June 10 2009, 9:41PM
“And it was a common council house too , how disgusting what a waste I have paid for that out of my TV licence I suspect. Tut Tut”
by Tracey, Waddon
Wednesday, June 10 2009, 1:31PM
“Hey your all on here chatting rubbish about posh kids & repeating yourselves over & over Anne YUK...when 60 Minute Makeover is here in Waddon & not even a mention wassup wit ya?????????????????????? now thats is NEWS”
by Leona, Shirley
Wednesday, June 10 2009, 12:05PM
“Imagine....slip of the finger!”
by Leona, Shirley
Wednesday, June 10 2009, 12:04PM
“I should imaging the suicide rate has gone up too with you teaching them Anne , infact i truly doubt you are a teacher just deluded, those poor poor kids! :( your just not normal please get help for all our sakes :)”
by ANNE, SELSDON
Wednesday, June 10 2009, 11:42AM
“In adult education, if you have a class where some students are more intelligent than others, then the others feel that they are not doing well and drop out. I constantly reassure them that they are doing fine, because they are covering what we are allowed to teach them this term. Other students want more, and I have to tell them that I am not allowed to teach them beyond what is in the course outline. So in schools - if you have children of mixed ability, it doesn't work. The ones who are doing less well will not become more advanced, they will just get bored and drag the others down.”
by Katie, SELSDON
Wednesday, June 10 2009, 11:30AM
“What a boring story nearly as boring as Anne herself Yawnnnnn!!! :(”
by Anthony Miller, Croydon
Wednesday, June 10 2009, 9:48AM
“To be fair to my public school they probably were just about value for money and taught me a few more useful things as well as the useless latin ...but if you select people on the basis of intelligence and/or money that is elitism but definition. The sophistry exerted in this thread to try and prove it isn't from those who wish to benefit from elitism but dont want to admit to being complicit in it is quite amusing. I have to wonder though if for most people at todays fees of £100,000 for a secondary education if it wouldn't be a better investment to just give your kids a hundred grand each towards a house than to criple yourself with the required second mortgage.
Fortunately I do not have kids ...and none of this will ever be my problem.”