Longacre School Closing

[AndreaKnowsBest]

Is it true that Longacre is closing? Wasn't it literally just bought by a group?

Parents are having to look at other options in case the Bridewell Royal Hospital sells Longacre School to a developer- something some of us strongly suspect has been their plan since day one.

It seems as if Bridewell’s strategy is to play for time through this process, to not engage with parents or the parent group trying to find solutions to keep the site as a school, while the clock runs down. They will then be able to throw their hands in the air and say their only option was to sell to a developer.

VERY few Longacre families are even considering Barrow Hills as an alternative. I believe that it is less than 10 children in total across all year groups (Longacre goes from 2.5-11). I don’t think the majority of families would touch Bridewell Schools with a barge-pole given they way that Bridewell Royal Hospital has treated parents through this process (communication with Longacre families has been utterly dire), their attitude towards Longacre school and also the way they have treated Longacre staff, which in my view has been appalling.

Families are considering a broad range of other independent schools as a contingency in case Bridewell sells out to a developer. A number of families though are struggling to find the right fit. Longacre has a unique ethos, a low pressure environment where children can be children and where children thrive because they are happy. Longacre offers excellent SEN provision and for these families finding a mainstream school with this kind of ethos is extremely challenging. I know that a number have been turned away from other local schools and some families are turning to homeschooling. It’s heartbreaking.

Didn’t they already say the educational investor wasn’t viable???

The Chair of Governors’ wording in his letter to Longacre parents was quite specific, saying there isn’t currently a viable proposal to buy the school as a “going concern”. From what I understand more generally, that’s actually quite a high bar and not how many education investors tend to operate in these situations.

It’s not unusual for interest to be structured differently (for example around assets, a relaunch, or a new operating model), so no viable offer as a going concern doesn’t mean there’s no interest by educational investors and I understand that there very much is.

think the charity commission looks kindly on keeping the school open above all other options..... This is in addition to a moral obligation to do the right thing by the longacre school, family's and children. Lets see what Bridewell are made of.

Typically to other local preps. Cranleigh, st Ed’s, etc. I don’t know of any whom have committed to Bridewell fully and the ones that were interested seemed to think it was their only viable option which is sad. The current Longacre head was offered a job there and even she’s boycotted them and got a headship somewhere else which speaks volumes…..

I was reading there are a lot of SEN kids, where are they typically heading or will they be home educated? Someone mentioned significant portion will be home educated?

I've heard despite their offer of places at Barrow Hills, they have in fact rejected many of the SEN kids, as have sadly many of the other local schools. So there are a lot of families who are resorting to home education.
it's very hard to see how this is anything other than an asset grab and protection of Barrow Hill and KESW at all costs. If they had any regard for the children or families they'd be far more proactive with interested investors. Such a shame.

Oh really?? I’d heard they were quite SEN friendly, so that has shocked me!

Doesnt surprise me, at all. They offered guaranteed places to all those at longacre, at barrow hills only to pull them. As for the head of longacre, she tied her own hands by accepting the barrow hills job in the first place. Couldnt help the parents at all. Extremely disappointing, i wont miss her at all. An absolutely lesson in taking advantage of the naive, longacre thought they would get bailed out, Bridewell slammed the door and didn't spend a penny and in fact will gain millions. The guvenors and or decision makers should be ashamed.

Did they really? That’s shocking if they offered guaranteed places to SEN students and then pulled the offers.

It’s appalling that Barrow Hills are turning down Longacre pupils with SEN needs. Longacre families were sent a letter by Bridewell Royal Hospital saying:

’Our Commitment To Your Child

Although the circumstances that have led us here are painful, our commitment to your family does not end with this announcement. Being part of the Bridewell Foundation enables us to offer continuity, care, and stability at a time when those things matter most.

If the decision is taken to close Longacre School, we are able to offer a carefully planned and fully supported route towards a transition to Barrow Hills School, our other preparatory school, which has a stable and growing pupil roll and a well-established long-term future within the Foundation, for families who wish to do so.’

This supposed ‘commitment’ was clearly for some children though, not all! Absolutely despicable behaviour by Bridewell Royal Hospital / Barrow Hills School 😡.

Is this absolutely true that they are doing this and not a rumour??

True

Wow that is dreadful. Can you tell me what sort of SEN needs, would barrow hills have struggled to cope or not had the specialist teachers needed? According to the latest government report they have quite a high amount of pupils with SEN already. Would they have just not coped with a big influx or the level of need? Sorry I’m not familiar with these schools, just a prospective parent and this has shocked me.

They are probably better placed to answer that than me.

I doubt they would admit this to a prospective parent, I thought they may have given the parents a reason as to why their child was rejected after getting a guaranteed offer ??

Dont know i'm affraid.

Yes, this is absolutely true. I have seen a letter of rejection received by a parent of SEN children. In a similar vein to other Bridewell communications, it was lacking in any sympathy and detail.

Awful. Shame on The Bridewell Royal Hospital and Barrow Hills School.

This has truly shocked me. I was under the impression both schools were quite SEN friendly (judging by the numbers of SEN identified students they have). I suppose it is difficult to judge without knowing the exact profile of the children rejected as SEN can be very broad - an impersonal letter sounds terrible however - and they should not have promised guaranteed places if that wasn’t going to be true for all children.

Looking at King Edward’s for instance:

https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Establishments/Establishment/Details/125365

471 total pupils
222 with identified SEN
1 with an EHCP

You’d think Bridewell would be accepting of students with SEN?!

These children don’t even have EHCPs. In some cases, it’s purely a question of having specific emotional needs. Longacre isn’t a specialist SEN school and yet has taken in these children (including one who moved from Barrow Hills where insufficient support was provided) and given them the support they need to positively thrive. It is a unique environment with a very special blend of teachers who just “get” these children and let them shine. It is devastating to think that such a special place could be lost when Barrow Hills, by its own admission, just can’t offer these children what they’ve been readily provided at Longacre. What is shocking, as you say, is that places were guaranteed, yet children attending “taster” days were assessed (without this being made clear to parents in advance) and, in some cases, refused the spots they were promised.

Perhaps Barrow Hills and KES have different approaches?

Barrow Hills:

Pupils: 193
SEN: 63

Not as high a proportion as King Edward’s but still a good amount of children with additional needs.

This is very sad and disappointing.

Well everyone was promised a place regardless of needs at barrow hills, I since have learnt that this is now not the case. Sadly I’m not sure that there journey is going to be an easy one. I know some parents are struggling and it’s causing great deal of upset and anxiety as there is simple no other option.