To think this is sad

[threerings]

Last night parents at dc school had to attend a meeting. We all got a big shock and had a sharp intake of breath when we were told that the school will be closing in July. We will have to make alternative arrangements in finding other school places. The lady that delivered the news stood there smirking and was very smug which of course lit the the touch paper and it all got very heated.
It transpires that they have surrendered the running ten year lease on the building to another school. ( Already up and running Free school) They had a meeting with the board of trustee,s last week and decieded to go ahead with this.
No consultation with the parents or students or the teaching staff ( who are now being made redundant). The worse thing about it is that the year 5 dc are due to sit the 11 plus in september. And now this is left up in the air. Yes I know they can go to another school and kids are adaptable, But its the shocking behaviour and attitude towards dc of just go elsewhere.
It is an Independant prep school so some may say oh well, But these are children, s future and emotions on the line.
Are we right as parents to think that this is not good enough?
It has upset the dc greatly.

This happened in our town a few years ago. Private prep couldn't make the finances work any longer, despite having recently built a new sports hall and classrooms. Parents were devastated especially as the school was known for its specialist dyslexia teaching.

Nothing could be done and the school closed just a few weeks after that.

'The lady that delivered the news stood there smirking and was very smug'

much more likely the poor cow was teriffied as likely all the staff are going to have a terrible time.

It's also likely they can't make it pay - I've never heard of one closing for a good reason - it's a business, they might be broke.

Had similar in our area when an independent went bankrupt. The other schools in the area were fantastic. They really tried to assist the families whereas the leadership team in the school could not get their act together.

Can you tell us the school (nothing to lose)?

The company own alot of schools and are in the top 30 uk charities so not thinking that its financial reasons. They have surrendered the lease on our school building back to the original owner who sold the school to them in the first place as with another school the owner previously owned. The company then closed the first school and tranfered those pupils to its long standing school which has now gone back into the original owners hands.
The original owner set up a Free school half a mile from our school and now wants to expand the free school she has brought our school. Our children have nowhere to go and need to leave by July.
Something smells not quite right here, how it was done signed and sealed. This time they are not willing to help relocate the children at all.

How in the hell is everyone going to find new schools? How many children are in that school?

where i'm originally from there are only two primary schools in the area, and then 3 in the next town which would cost parents who don't drive around £20 per week per child to get to.

I can't understand how they can do that to your school?

I suppose thats the problem with private schools. You dont get the same security. So sorry to hear this op, its a bit rubbish all the same.

Very stressful and upsetting time for you all, especially the children. It does seem an unpleasant way of doing things and can see why you are all devasted. We would be too if t was our DD's school.

However, at least you do have until July, well September to find another school place. A local independent near here closed and gave just 2 or 3 week's notice to pupils and staff, and the parents lost some fees too I believe. Two of the other local independents offered no/reduced fees for the first few weeks for the moving girls and offered them places. A couple of teachers accompanied some girls to one school to help them settle in on a temporary PT basis for a term.

This school also had an upper school so some girls were in the middle of GCSEs, and Yr 11 due to take exams that summer (it closed in the Feb half term IIRR) - was not good.

I guess there is nothing really you can do to prevent this now, as horrible as it will feel. It's just time to look at your next steps - which schools have places, where you can get too, etc.

re the entrance exams - could you consider a tutor to help your DD get through that hurdle?

Are there no places at the free school that's taking over the building?

Is it a Cognita?

The same thing happened at our local independent school. They ran an open morning for parents and talked everyone through the options for other local schools. It was financial reasons.