Latest news with #BishopChalloner
The Independent
01-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
‘Distraught' families say they may have to homeschool SEND children if school forced to close amid VAT raid
'Distraught' families are fighting to save a private school which faces being shut down within days amid soaring financial pressures and the government's controversial VAT policy. One mother, 48, told The Independent she will have no choice but to homeschool her son, who has special educational needs (SEND), if Bishop Challoner School in Bromley closes as planned on Friday, the last day of this school year. Of the school's 271 pupils, 94 have SEND, according to the Independent Schools Inspectorate's report last year. This is around 35 per cent of students – almost double the 18 per cent of all pupils in England – according to the government's figures for January 2024. The school said it had become an increasingly challenging environment for schools, with falling birth rates, rising living costs, and the VAT rule adding to the issues. It said other government policies - such as the increase in employers' NI and the removal of rates relief - had contributed. Fees for the private school's infant years started at £4,591 a term inclusive of VAT, increasing to £6,562 for secondary school pupils, with scholarships available for 'outstanding achievement'. A father said it was his five-year-old's 'devastated' reaction that drove him to set up a group for the parents to join forces in efforts to save the school, out of which their fundraiser was born. At the meeting when the school's closure was announced, he described 'every parent who attended showing a huge 'roll your sleeves up, we're gonna fight for this school'' attitude. Stacy Long, 40, said his son, Paddy Dowling Long, attends the school. The 40-year-old father said: 'He was absolutely distraught for a couple of hours. It blew me away. I couldn't believe the attachment he showed. The fight to keep it alive has been because of his reaction. 'He's shy and refused his first day of school. To see the development they've done with him, educationally, socially – there had to be a fight to keep the school alive.' The mother, who wished to remain anonymous, explained that many parents whose needs cannot be met in the state sector chose Bishop Challoner, in south London, as it 'offered a space with excellent pastoral care'. She said she has been in a two-year battle to get an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) for her son, finding the process 'impossible'. EHCPs are aimed at ensuring SEND children receive the support they need, with many parents reporting difficulties securing them through their local authorities. Speaking of her son, the mother said: 'All the staff have from day one gone above and beyond to support him, and despite a difficult start and many ups and downs, he has, after two years of hard work, kindness, patience and compassion from staff, settled and even made some friends. He even started in a singing group, which has been the making of him, and given him confidence, purpose and a sense of responsibility, as well as helping him discover that singing soothes him during periods of anxiety. 'This is now all being ripped away, and without an EHCP we have no viable alternative, so I will be forced to homeschool him from September. All the progress he has made, especially socially, will likely be lost, and I am very worried about what the future holds for him.' Mr Long described the strong 'wonderful' sense of community built around the school. He said he and his wife attended and met there, while his mother has worked at the school for 35 years. 'It would be devastating to see it disappear,' he said. The government's policy to impose 20 per cent VAT on private school fees came into effect on 1 January and drew much backlash from the sector. Keir Starmer has insisted the tax will deliver more funds for state schools and so 'drive up standards' for the majority who cannot afford surging fees in the independent sector. Earlier in June, Bishop Challoner issued a statement announcing its closure, which read: 'This has been an incredibly difficult decision, which the school made every effort to avoid. 'Despite the dedicated efforts of the school's leadership and staff, Bishop Challoner School has been impacted by the broader increasingly challenging environment for schools. With falling birth rates, rising living costs and more recently the impact of VAT on school fees the school has seen a significant decline in pupil numbers. Meanwhile, its operating costs have risen significantly over recent years and further impacted by the recent removal of rates relief and the statutory increase in employers' National Insurance. 'Together, these factors have placed significant strain on the school's financial sustainability.' A UK government spokesperson said: 'Ending tax breaks for private schools will raise £1.8 billion a year by 2029/30 to help fund public services, including supporting the 94 per cent of children in state schools to achieve and thrive. 'On average, around 50 mainstream private schools typically close each year. This is due to a range of reasons, including financial struggles and school standards issues. 'Local authorities and schools commonly support children and parents in these circumstances; we are confident in local state schools' ability to accommodate new pupils.' The number of pupils in private schools in England has fallen following the introduction of VAT on fees, the latest government figures show. There were around 11,000 fewer pupils in private schools in January compared with the same point last year, according to Department for Education (DfE) data. But the DfE suggested this was 'primarily driven by demographic changes'. However, the data does not show a trend of independent schools closing, with 35 opening since last year.
BBC News
26-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Bromley private school parents fundraise to stop closure
Parents have launched a fundraiser in an attempt to save a private school in south-east London that is due to close at the end of the academic weeks ago, Bishop Challoner School's Board of Trustees confirmed that the Catholic independent school for children aged three to 18 would close this of students at the Bromley school said the announcement came as a shock, and have come together to launch a fundraiser with a target of £400,000 in a bid to keep the gates school cited the government's VAT hike and rising living costs as contributing factors for its closure, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. Just over a third of the student body at Bishop Challoner are pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Stacey's five-year-old son Paddy is in his first year at the school. Stacey attended Bishop Challoner as a child, met his wife there, and his mother also worked there for a time and still does occasionally. "It's like a 35-year connection," he said his son was "distraught" and "heartbroken" after he found out his school was closing at the end of the said of the fundraiser: "It's difficult because people have a perception of what Bishop Challoner might be. It's so different from an independent fee-paying school."Parents are sacrificing other things to send their kids to the school. It's a small independent school that just offers so much more." At the school's 2024 inspection by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, officers found that 94 of the school's 271 pupils had are concerns about how that many pupils will fit into alternative provision within the borough. One parent, who did not want to be named, said her autistic son fell into a form of depression following the closure said Bishop Challoner helped her son become more socially confident after he developed "incredibly debilitating anxiety" following the Covid lockdowns."They're so patient with him and nothing is too much trouble for these staff. It's a beautiful, beautiful school," she said. From 1 January, 2025, private school fees in the UK are subject to a 20% VAT charge. This change means that education and boarding services provided by private schools are no longer exempt from VAT, impacting both tuition fees and boarding costs. Bishop Challoner has offered no further public comment since it announced its closure on 12 June.
BBC News
13-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Two private schools in Kingston and Bromley to close
Two private schools in south London will close after 75 years due to declining pupil numbers and Labour's introduction of VAT on school Learning Group (ILG), which runs Park Hill Preparatory School and Nursery, in Kingston, and Bishop Challoner School in Bromley, will close at the end of the academic High Court judges dismissed a legal challenge over the government's policy. Lawyers for the families and private schools argued it was discriminatory. Barristers for the Chancellor, His Majesty's Revenue and Customs and the Department for Education said it was to raise standards for state school children by making private school parents pay "their fair share". 'Heartbreaking' According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), the board of trustees at Bishop Challoner confirmed on Thursday the Catholic independent school for children aged three to 18 would close on 4 school, which opened in 1950, stated it had been "an incredibly difficult decision" to close but it had to be made due to the "increasingly challenging environment for schools". Amanda, whose 18-year-old son Barney is in Year 13 at Bishop Challoner, told BBC London the news was "heartbreaking" and came as a "complete shock". "I feel very much aware of this huge community of people who are being affected: members of staff, support staff, students and parents," she added not all independent schools were "full of wealthy families", and this was a "small, caring school".Barney is neurodiverse and Amanda said: "We chose the school because of its small, community-feel, very calm environment. It's given Barney a social environment that feels safe."I feel very lucky that my son is going to university in September but I can't imagine how parents are feeling with their children in the middle of their GCSEs or A-levels." The school's Chair of Trustees Patricia Colling said: "This is a very difficult time for our parents, pupils and staff. "We are saddened that, despite our best efforts, the school has to close." 'Quality of education' LDRS said ILG was offering parents of pupils at Park Hill the option to move to its sister school Westbury House School, in New Malden, from September, which is a 12-minute drive away. Park Hill will be converted into a dedicated full-time nursery, offering 51 weeks of provision for children aged between three months and four years said closing the preparatory school, which opened in 1949, and moving its pupils to Westbury House would protect both education settings for the Nunn, Park Hill's head teacher, said in a message on the school's website the move would provide pupils with greater opportunities for social development, a wider friendship network and an expanded extracurricular programme – including sport, music and drama. An ILG spokesperson said: "The benefit of being in a private group is that we can protect both settings, and ensure the continuity and quality of education for our children, who will always remain our top priority." Additional reporting by Olivia Demetriades, BBC London
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Private school forced to close after one in three pupils drop out
A private school has been forced to close after losing more than a third of its pupils to Labour's VAT raid. Bishop Challoner School in Kent told parents this week it would close at the end of the term because it was no longer 'economically viable'. The Catholic school, which this year celebrated its 75th birthday, said the 20pc levy on school fees meant it was no longer able to retain and recruit enough pupils. When Labour won last summer's general election, standing on a commitment to tax private schools for the first time, the school had 317 pupils. This fell to 270 in January when the Government's VAT raid came into force. A further 52 pupils have withdrawn for the next academic year, meaning the school would have had just 218 pupils remaining from September. The loss of around 100 pupils in little over a year – equivalent to 31pc – is five times more than the 6pc of pupils that Labour forecast would leave as a result of its VAT raid. In a letter sent to parents seen by The Telegraph, the school cited the VAT levy as well as the loss of business rates relief and increases to National Insurance in April as reasons for its closure. The school, which is on the border of London and charges £19,686 a year, also blamed the falling birth rate in the capital and wider cost of living concerns for it being harder to attract new families to the school. Ticcy Colling, chairman of trustees, wrote: 'The impact has been felt this academic year with a fall in pupil numbers from 317 in 2023-24 when the school ran at a slight surplus to 270 in 2024-25. 'Despite the efforts of all involved in marketing the school more broadly, the projected pupil numbers are currently only 218. 'The combination of the falling revenues and increased costs resulted in a material loss being made this year. The impact of this and a further significant worsening of the position next year means that the school would not have sufficient cash reserves to trade to the end of the next academic year.' Bishop Challoner said it had attempted to merge with nearby schools, and had appealed to benefactors, but these efforts had not been successful. One parent told The Telegraph: 'The falling birth rate was one factor, but the decisive blow has undoubtedly been Labour's introduction of VAT on school fees and the removal of business rate relief. This policy has directly caused the closure, no matter how well-intentioned it may have been. 'We feel incredibly let down by the late notice. With just a few weeks left in the school year, we're left scrambling to find new places for our children – either at another independent school or within the state system. It's stressful, overwhelming, and entirely avoidable. 'Ironically, the policy that aimed to make education fairer is doing the opposite. Pushing children from closed private schools into a struggling state system creates more pressure, not less. It reduces tax revenue, not increases it. And even if more money did somehow reach the system, there's little confidence it would be used in a way that truly benefits pupils.' It comes after Sir Keir Starmer announced on Wednesday that revenue raised from the VAT levy would be spent on an affordable housing scheme, despite Chancellor Rachel Reeves previously promising 'every penny' would go towards state schools. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
13-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Private school forced to close after one in three pupils drop out
A private school has been forced to close after losing more than a third of its pupils to Labour's VAT raid. Bishop Challoner School in Kent told parents this week it would close at the end of the term because it was no longer 'economically viable'. The Catholic school, which this year celebrated its 75th birthday, said the 20pc levy on school fees meant it was no longer able to retain and recruit enough pupils. When Labour won last summer's general election, standing on a commitment to tax private schools for the first time, the school had 317 pupils. This fell to 270 in January when the Government's VAT raid came into force. A further 52 pupils have withdrawn for the next academic year, meaning the school would have had just 218 pupils remaining from September. The loss of around 100 pupils in little over a year – equivalent to 31pc – is five times more than the 6pc of pupils that Labour forecast would leave as a result of its VAT raid. In a letter sent to parents seen by The Telegraph, the school cited the VAT levy as well as the loss of business rates relief and increases to National Insurance in April as reasons for its closure. The school, which is on the border of London and charges £19,686 a year, also blamed the falling birth rate in the capital and wider cost of living concerns for it being harder to attract new families to the school. Ticcy Colling, chairman of trustees, wrote: 'The impact has been felt this academic year with a fall in pupil numbers from 317 in 2023-24 when the school ran at a slight surplus to 270 in 2024-25. 'Despite the efforts of all involved in marketing the school more broadly, the projected pupil numbers are currently only 218. 'The combination of the falling revenues and increased costs resulted in a material loss being made this year. The impact of this and a further significant worsening of the position next year means that the school would not have sufficient cash reserves to trade to the end of the next academic year.' Bishop Challoner said it had attempted to merge with nearby schools, and had appealed to benefactors, but these efforts had not been successful. One parent told The Telegraph: ' The falling birth rate was one factor, but the decisive blow has undoubtedly been Labour's introduction of VAT on school fees and the removal of business rate relief. This policy has directly caused the closure, no matter how well-intentioned it may have been. 'We feel incredibly let down by the late notice. With just a few weeks left in the school year, we're left scrambling to find new places for our children – either at another independent school or within the state system. It's stressful, overwhelming, and entirely avoidable. 'Ironically, the policy that aimed to make education fairer is doing the opposite. Pushing children from closed private schools into a struggling state system creates more pressure, not less. It reduces tax revenue, not increases it. And even if more money did somehow reach the system, there's little confidence it would be used in a way that truly benefits pupils.' It comes after Sir Keir Starmer announced on Wednesday that revenue raised from the VAT levy would be spent on an affordable housing scheme, despite Chancellor Rachel Reeves previously promising 'every penny' would go towards state schools.
