ST Francis School at Pewsey has won a second court battle with parents over the non-payment of fees after they removed their daughter from the school without giving the required term's notice.

Following the hearing at Swindon County Court last week, headteacher Peter Blundell said he was delighted at the second victory.

But Rosie Golding Wight, from Charlton St Peter, said she still believed she was morally right in taking her daughter Charlotte away from the school because of changes in the way her year 6 class was run. These included changing the pupil-teacher ratio to eight to one.

Mrs Golding White, who transferred Charlotte to Godolphin School at Salisbury, was ordered to pay outstanding fees with interest and costs totalling £2,000 when the court found in favour of St Francis School.

In January a Trowbridge County Court judge found for the school in an identical case involving Simon and Jo Rodwell, from Etchilhampton, who took their daughter Lucy out of St Francis over the same issue. They were also ordered to pay the outstanding fees, interest and costs to a total of £2,000.

The parents said Mr Blundell made a significant change to teaching policy for the year 6 pupils which they were notified of as the school was preparing to break up for the summer in July 1998.

At least three sets of parents took their daughters away from the school and refused to pay a term's fees in lieu of a term's notice which the school contract sets out.

Mrs Golding Wight described the school's court victory as hollow. She said: "This case should be a warning to all parents who make sacrifices in order to finance private education: you pay your fees but you have no choice or rights to influence your child's education."

After the court hearing, headteacher Mr Blundell said: "Yet again an independent judge has ruled for the school awarding costs and interest on the debt. He listened to the arguments put forward by both sides and awarded the case to the school."

Mr Blundell said he was vindicated not only by the courts' decisions but also by the fact that out of the remaining 11 year 6 pupils, five were offered a total of six scholarships at the end of the year.

He said: "All we have ever tried to do is give the children the very best possible education."