Vandal damage: £1,000

My wife works at the Government buildings located at the back of the school which has a staff car park that adjoins the school playground. On four occasions in the last eight years my wife's car has been the target of stone throwing by pupils at Beacon Hill.

Following the most recent occurrence in July -- shortly before schools broke up for their summer break -- I spoke to and subsequently wrote to the Headmaster of Beacon Hill School complaining (not for the first time) about the damage done. Again, not for the first time, the response was "we have no budget to pay for such damage done", "we have no insurance" and simply no acceptance of liability or responsibility.

The Headmaster established that a pupil did see another throw the offending stone and undertook to carry out a further investigation to establish who the pupil was.

I have had no further communication from the school which said that even if the offending pupil was identified they would not get involved and it would be up to me to seek recompense from parents.

This attitude shows that the school will accept no responsibility for actions of pupils in their care. I got a similar "Gallic shrug" from the Director of Education in Blackpool to whom I sent the garage bill (this time £150) during the school holidays. Vandal damage repair bills, to date, total £1,000!

Clearly, Beacon Hill and the local education department are out of step with other government departments and the private sector that promote good customer service, acceptance of responsibility, communications, honesty and zero tolerance towards bullying among their values. With a doctrine averse to that which is acceptable, I suspect pupils emerging from the cover of Beacon Hill will struggle in the wider world.

Name & address supplied.