Union threatens to bar orphan pupils

Row after school sacks two teachers

ORPHANS could be robbed of free or subsidised places at a top private boarding school in a row over redundancies, it was revealed last night. Britains second biggest teachers’ union has threatened to cut off the £3,000 a year it donates towards the fees of fatherless children at the Royal Wolverhampton School.

Leaders of the National Union of Schoolmasters and Union of Woman Teachers, which has supported the school for more than 40 years, are incensed because two of its members were sacked "without consultation". They are also angered by alleged jibes against comprehensive schools by the headmaster, Raymond Hawkins.

"Disgust"

According to pupils' notes read out at a meeting of the NAS/UWT executive, Mr Hawkins told his General Studies class: "Working class children don't want education, so comprehensives are wasting their time pouring out middle class beliefs on working class children". Nigel de Gruchy, deputy general-secretary of the 120,000 strong union, said: "We view them with disgust and disdain. They were a factor in threatening to cut off the grant."

Talks are now going on to heal the rift. Last night assistant secretary Frank Howard said: "We are in discussion with the governors. We've got assurances from them that makes us think we will be able to reach an agreement."

If an agreement is not reached, at least two needy youngsters could be denied places at the £3,640-a-year school, housed in a splendid Victorian building. Union donations go to the Orphan Foundation, the school's founding charity which has paid all, or part, of orphan's fees since 1850.