"Published on Thursday 24 March 2005 09:53 A FOREIGN pupil at St Elphin's school who was left homeless when the historic school closed two weeks ago has been saved by the generosity of a local woman. Boarder Cindy Lee, 16, from Hong Kong, was due to sit her GCSEs this summer when the sudden decision to close the Darley Dale school was announced on March 8. But disruption to Cindy's education has been kept to a minimum thanks to an offer made by Isabel Cordero-Padilla, whose daughter Lola attended St Elphin's nursery school. Mrs Cordero-Padilla, who lives in Wirksworth, said: "I took Cindy in because she had nowhere else to go. I don't think the owners know how many problems they have caused." Cindy said: "I didn't know where to go. I was thinking I should go back to Hong Kong but I am in the middle of GCSEs and I have coursework for textiles and art." Mrs Cordero-Padilla invited Cindy to stay at a meeting for pupils and parents which was held by the owners when they explained the school had closed because it was no longer commercially viable. An offer to keep the school open for the pupils sitting exams, made by the owners at the meeting, was withdrawn once it was revealed the school had lost its status as an examination site. A parent who does not wish to be named said: "The company gave us nothing in writing, and after what they have done to us we couldn't trust them to go through with it. We couldn't risk it. "It is sickening to treat children who are six or seven weeks away from important exams like this." Now, along with six other GCSE pupils, Cindy is being taught by staff from the school who have been hired by other parents whose children are facing examinations in the summer. The hall at St Helen's Church in Darley Dale is being used as a temporary classroom. The Rev Robert Quarton of St Helen's Church said: "We were approached and immediately offered the use of the hall for an urgent situation." by Tim Cunningham"
Reprinted by kind permission of Matlock Mercury |
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