Rendcomb college closing?

[happyhopefulmummy]

Has anyone else heard about Rendcomb College near Cirencester closing? The rumours are doing the rounds that they are sending kids to other schools, and parents are removing kids as it’s set to close. Nothing has been announced, and this is such sad news if so. Hoping it is just rumours.

I attended St Edward’s and follow them on Facebook. They have put out a post this evening how sad they are Rendcomb is closing and offering help and support to families and students. So yes, unfortunately looks like the rumours are true.

Ug, super tacky of them to do that when it hasn’t even been officially announced on Rendcomb’s own website or SM… the vultures will descend!

Totally agree - every time a school closes the local schools post their ‘supportive’ messages when clearly they are just being vultures. I know it’s business but it’s just so blatent.

Wycliffe College put out a similar message to St Edwards School last night. Rendcomb have now put something on their website confirming it will close at the end of the school year. It might seem vulture like to be posting in the way that WCand St E have, but as a local, these two schools do seem to be on a parity with Rendcomb in terms of fees etc. St E is day only, while WC has the boarding option. Bottom line the current Y10 and Y12 Rendcomb students need to find alternative provision as soon as possible.

Have you considered the possibility that Rendcomb have reached out to St Edwards and Wycliffe because they know these schools use the same Alevel and GCSE boards, hence students part way through exam courses will have a slightly less stressful transfer? I think Rendcomb were late to put something on their Website. The other schools were clearly in the know due to Rendcomb being in touch with them to seek help in finding alternative provision for their students. The fact that as late as 9pm last night there was nothing on the Rendcomb website or Facebook was poor in my opinion.

Oh I’m in no doubt Rendcomb would have reached out, all the private schools in chelt would have been aware. However, surely it’s common courtesy to not announce on your own website before the affected school has done so on theirs. Rumours are both st Ed’s and Wycliffe are struggling. So they will want as many pupils as possible. And as someone said above, I believe these schools are on par with each other, fees and reputation wise, compared to say Ladies College, Chelt College, Dean Close etc

I feel particularly sympathetic towards parents whose child did not score quite high enough for any of the Gloucestershire grammar schools who then applied to Rendcomb for Year 7 next year and now find themselves trying to secure a place at another private school. I'm sure the schools we have mentioned above would be pleased to receive such an application, but presumably, their first concern will be for current Rendcomb students.

These announcements do seem a bit vulture-like at first glance but I’m sure they were done with the consent of Rendcomb. It was in the school’s official letter that they are working with four schools (Cheltenham, Wycliffe, Westonbirt and another one that escapes me) on admissions, presumably because they think these will suit the majority of their pupils. It’s odder to me that Rendcomb were so late with a statement online. It’s very sad news.

Oh the fourth school school is King’s Gloucester

Horribly stressful for those parents and children. I was so sorry to read it. But the last place they need to move to is another school with dodgy accounts and financial issues at Trust level, and dwindling student numbers, unless they want a repeat experience. The parents need to do their thorough research about who owns any new school they are considering, what their qualifications are and what the exact student numbers are before moving them to another small insecure independent right now. There is some amazing smoke and mirrors going on at the bottom end of this sector.

I agree with you up to a point, but for students who will be going into years 11 and 13 next year, a key factor must be finding a school with the same GCSE and A level exam boards and subject availability. Surely a parent would not dismiss a smal school if it could offer their child the public examination continuity?

I thought St Edwards Cheltenham was mentioned by Rendcomb too.

@KindUseragreed if it’s only for one year. But there are some excellent local schools in both sectors and some very poor ones. I’m sure the crisis must be awful for those parents and students involved and for those who have more years to pay for, taking a breath and ensuring they have done their due diligence on a school will be key, imho. Parents should look at online accounts and get actual facts on student numbers if DC are going to be there for more than a year. Apparent kindness from some local providers is not all they are making it out to be imho.

There was a thread on here from a teacher who was told last night their school was closing and it sounds like it was really badly handled with the staff, let alone students and their families. It must be awful, all have my sympathies

No - iirc, St Edward’s was first with the social media message but was not in the official Rendcomb letter.

Which has led me to draw - possibly erroneous - conclusions about the precariousness of St Edward’s own position.

Yes that is very interesting. The fact that the prep school to St Edwards now has a new name and advertises itself as a Gramnar school preparation school does suggest that the previous assumption that most children at the prep would continue on to the senior school is no longer the case.

The ‘number of pupils’ vs ‘capacity’ for St Edward’s and Wycliffe - both easily available on the DFE website - are interesting, as they have an even smaller proportion of their places occupied than Rendcomb does. King’s and Westonbirt are much healthier by that measure.

Does Rendcomb have Military boarders? I wonder if Wycliffe is slightly protected from pupils leaving because it has a reputation for having children from military families. A relatives son was a full boarder at Wycliffe prep while his father was posted abroad. He did transfer to another school at 16 because his father got posted to North of England on return to UK so they moved him somewhere a bit closer.

Website suggests it offered an Armed Services Discount linked to the relevant scheme. No idea how many - if any - students used it.

St Ed’s will be the next one that goes under, and Wycliffe’s pupil numbers are dwindling. A friend’s neighbour goes there and says there are only 2 children in the reception class.

If i was a Rendcomb parent, particularly with children in crucial exam years, I’d suck up the bigger fees and send them to Cheltenham or Dean Close, potentially Westonbirt if they had any SEN or were not majorly academic.

Cheltenham is the military school - loads of military links.

When I attended st Edward’s, (early 2000’s) I think there was 450-500 in the school. According to their latest ISI report there’s only 222 students, which is a huge drop in numbers. Does anyone know why the prep school and senior school delinked?

My guess is that the new owners of St Edwards doesn't see a future for the senior school, but there does seem to be a market for a Grammar school (crammer) prep school. Even if parents cant afford fees for 7 years of secondary they might be able to part for between 4 and 7 years at prep in the hope of maximising the chance of a place at one of the Grammar schools.

I think it was at or around the time of the Alpha takeover, and an acknowledgement that there was potentially a greater market for ‘grammar 11+ preparation’ than for a feeder school to St Edward’s senior., given the waning prestige of the latter.

Balcarras, Leckhampton High and the grammar schools are good alternatives in Cheltenham (Gloucester) so it wouldn't surprise me if St Eds struggled. The other private schools seem to have something else going for them. Poor kids though...