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From the old school ... Prince Summerfield was booted out as teachers thought he was 24
[h1]‘Schoolboy’ kicked out ..for being 24[/h1]
By TOM WELLS and ISABEL JENSEN
Published: Today
Add a comment (59)
[h2]A BOY who enrolled at a new school was chucked out because the head believes he is really a man of 24.[/h2]
Burly Prince Summerfield joined a Year Nine class as a 14-year-old at the start of the new term last week.
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'Proof'... birth certificate from Malawi
shows September 24, 1996 date
But just 48 hours later he was sent home after teachers had suspicions that he was a man a DECADE older than he said he was.
In a letter to his mum Ennettie and stepdad David, he was even branded a "child protection risk" to other students.
Row ... Petersfield School
Malawi-born Prince - who is 5ft 8in and 10st - arrived at The Petersfield School in Petersfield, Hants in a smart boy's uniform.
But headmaster Nigel Poole said he "clearly" looked much older than 14 and seemed uncertain which year he was born in.
Mr Poole said: "When asked for his date of birth, he said 24/09/86, before correcting himself to 1996. I would not be surprised if he was born in 1986 - he looks closer to 24 than 14."
'Misled' ... head Nigel Poole
Claim ... mum Ennettie
He said Prince's mum and stepdad had been "far too quick" to produce his passport as proof of age, almost as if they had been expecting a challenge.
And he said Prince's story of how he came to be in the UK "didn't ring true".
Confirming that he did not want Prince at the school, the head added: "I believe I have been misled."
Prince's mum and stepdad insisted yesterday he IS 14 and produced a Malawi birth certificate. It showed his original surname as Chimwanga and his birth date as September 24, 1996 - but it was only registered in 2009.
Ennettie, 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."
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David, 49, who met Ennettie while working in Africa, added: "We are considering legal action. The letter was unacceptable." Ennettie and Prince said they both passed tough UK border checks.
Last night the school said it was "trying to clarify some points".
From the old school ... Prince Summerfield was booted out as teachers thought he was 24
[h1]‘Schoolboy’ kicked out ..for being 24[/h1]
By TOM WELLS and ISABEL JENSEN
Published: Today
Add a comment (59)[h2]A BOY who enrolled at a new school was chucked out because the head believes he is really a man of 24.[/h2]
Burly Prince Summerfield joined a Year Nine class as a 14-year-old at the start of the new term last week.
1232688
0
/sol/
Enlarge
'Proof'... birth certificate from Malawi
shows September 24, 1996 date
But just 48 hours later he was sent home after teachers had suspicions that he was a man a DECADE older than he said he was.
In a letter to his mum Ennettie and stepdad David, he was even branded a "child protection risk" to other students.
Row ... Petersfield School
Malawi-born Prince - who is 5ft 8in and 10st - arrived at The Petersfield School in Petersfield, Hants in a smart boy's uniform.
But headmaster Nigel Poole said he "clearly" looked much older than 14 and seemed uncertain which year he was born in.
Mr Poole said: "When asked for his date of birth, he said 24/09/86, before correcting himself to 1996. I would not be surprised if he was born in 1986 - he looks closer to 24 than 14."
'Misled' ... head Nigel Poole
Claim ... mum Ennettie
He said Prince's mum and stepdad had been "far too quick" to produce his passport as proof of age, almost as if they had been expecting a challenge.
And he said Prince's story of how he came to be in the UK "didn't ring true".
Confirming that he did not want Prince at the school, the head added: "I believe I have been misled."
Prince's mum and stepdad insisted yesterday he IS 14 and produced a Malawi birth certificate. It showed his original surname as Chimwanga and his birth date as September 24, 1996 - but it was only registered in 2009.
Ennettie, 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."
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David, 49, who met Ennettie while working in Africa, added: "We are considering legal action. The letter was unacceptable." Ennettie and Prince said they both passed tough UK border checks.
Last night the school said it was "trying to clarify some points".
