[size=14pt]Teenage pupil sent home by head teacher who 'believed he was a 24-year-old man' [/size]





Teenage pupil sent home by head teacher who 'believed he was a 24-year-old man'

When year nine pupils at The Petersfield School got this new classmate, they must have wondered what he’d been eating.

Prince Summerfield claimed he was 14 – but he has been kicked out over suspicions that he is a decade older.



Teachers have even labelled the 5ft 8in, ten-stone student a ‘child protection risk’ to other pupils.

Head Nigel Poole said: ‘When asked for his date of birth, he said September 24, 1986, before correcting himself to 1996.

‘I would not be surprised if he was born in 1986 - he looks closer to 24 than 14. I believe I have been misled.’

Prince, who was born in Malawi, enrolled at the school in Petersfield, Hampshire, for this year’s spring term in an extra large school uniform.

Just 48 hours later he was sent home – with a letter to his mother Ennettie explaining that the school feared her son could be a danger to the other pupils.

Staff said they wanted to ensure that Prince really is a teenager to ‘comply with our robust child protection policies’.

Mr Poole said Prince’s parents had been ‘far too quick’ to produce documentary proof of his age – as if they expected a challenge.

But the pupil’s mother and stepfather are adamant that Prince is 14.

He has a Malawian birth certificate which shows his birthday as September 24, 1996 – but it was only registered on September 8, 2009.

His mother, 30, said: ‘If the school’s claims were true, I would have been five when I had him. I can’t believe he was treated this way.’

His stepfather David, 49, added: ‘We are considering legal action. The letter was unacceptable.’

The school, which specialises in performing arts and has been rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, has assured Prince’s parents that he can return as soon as they can prove his age.
The Petersfield School in Hampshire, which sent Prince Summerfield home 'until we can be reassured that he is actually 14'

Older: The Petersfield School in Hampshire, which sent Prince Summerfield home 'until we can be reassured that he is actually 14'

In a statement, the school said: ‘It is true that the school is attempting to clarify aspects of this young man’s background in order to comply with our robust child protection policies.

‘Until we can be reassured that he is actually 14 he is not attending the school. If we receive such assurances the young man will be more than welcome to return.

‘The Petersfield School is a highly successful and inclusive school with an outstanding judgment from Ofsted. We always strive to do the best for every student who joins and this young man would be no exception.’

In 1994 a 32-year-old man spent a year at a prestigious school in Scotland posing as a 17-year-old pupil.

The man, who called himself Brandon Lee, enrolled at Bearsden Academy on the outskirts of Glasgow and fooled teachers who did not remember he had been a pupil there in the 1970s.

I read the story and have to say I can see where the school is coming from here, not only does the boy/man look older than what he is claiming to be; the fact that he seemd to have 2 different DOB is iffy

At least he is not a Nigerian.

^^ lol abi!

thats hampshire for you! i can imagine the number of 30 year olds that spent 6 years in secondary school undetected in hackney! its only in hamshire they will take action like this!

i recently heard one dude from my primary school was arrested not long after for statutory rape!!! turns out the bastard was 16! can u imagine! he looked old as well but how could no one notice! i remember him having side burns in yr 6!

LMAO 14 yea right then I am 5 lol

hmmm, i  have looked at this picture from so many angles my neck is hurting, it's possible he's only 14, i mean alot of people have trouble getting the right birth certificates in Africa because of poor record keeping. Dont' think the school handled this very well. Oh black kids do mature quite quick, i think,

You are right sha.

I am 12.

na woa that na my old malawian neighbor form back in the days oh 

Hahahahaha. What kinda oversize/unkempt suit is that?www.nairaland.com/attachments/378345_LMSAO_gifcc08743add65da1a3fab01ae874d7bfa

no way is this dude 14

tjskii:

no way is this dude 14

How old do u reckon he is then. .?

id say 21-22

Hmm, You maybe right sweery.

Doesnt luk 14 to me

Hi there, I read about this story when it was initially reported in the press here in the UK. I don't think he is 14, however, these stories have almost become10-a-penny in the UK. I feel that this whole saga has something to do with this boy's / man's immigration status. If he own's up to his real age he could be on the next plane back to Kenya.

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