Publicly funded pupil loses place at top private school

A 14-year-old girl accused of poor work and causing fear among other pupils through bullying and intimidation yesterday lost her publicly funded place at a girls' private school.

The High Court refused to order pounds 12,300-a-year Cobham Hall, Kent, to take her back - even though her place was withdrawn and given to another girl unlawfully.

Mr Justice Dyson said it had been a "difficult" decision. But it would be wrong to order the school to educate G, who cannot be named for legal reasons, at its own expense when she was no longer wanted and teachers claimed the move could prove "disastrous" for the school and G herself.