Alderley Edge school for girls to close

[Mushroo]

This has just been announced - the whole school from nursery to sixth form will close at the end of this academic year.

Such a shame.

We are contemplating prep school but all these closures make me very very nervous. Does anyone feel the same way?

An excellent state primary and tutoring now feels like the sensible option.

For us, it's the time spent on wider subjects that we have gained in the private sector but that will depend on what the state option is providing. So rather than tutoring, it's the external clubs that you might need if you want the same. We have had loads more team sport including matches, drama including class assemblies and drama productions plus the option of LAMDA, art with better supplies plus Design/Technology and more frequent lessons, music with a specialist teacher plus visiting instrument teachers and concert/performance opportunities. You can then get maths, English etc books for key stage two and see if your child is confident in all areas. If not, consider tutoring but in our experience the last thing they would focus on after a full day of school was any more structured tuition on the key subjects.

Really feel for everyone involved. There’s few state secondary places in the area. Manchester High have offered places.
They have also been offering guaranteed place in high school for anyone that goes for prep. ( seems like they are clambering for numbers too) .

Such a shame that the small schools around the country. are going under whilst the super selectives in the south that serve the actual wealthy are going strong. Squeezed middle again in the name off London centric politics of envy.

@LabourSucksabsolutely. Of course the Etons and St Paul’s will be absolutely fine. It’s these middling private schools that historically will have been the kids of GPs, local business owners, accountants, pharmacists that will go under. Absolutely politics of envy and the strain on local schools will be huge.

I think it's been inevitable for many years now. I knew a few children who went there (I ran a children's activity in the area) and it always seemed like a nice school but there is a lot of competition in the area. Wilmslow Prep & Kings were always more popular.

Wholeheartedly agree. I have no connection to AESG but this actually makes me really angry to see. Labour's ill thought out, ideologically motivated attempt to score points with the electorate is destroying institutions which have been established over decades and centuries, causing lasting damage.

They have been accepting new pupils as recent as January!! Yet say in the email sent to all parents that they have considered many options to try and keep it open, so major concerns have obviously been there for a while!

@theyawnicorn interesting!! I wonder if single sex is the problem, I know bowdon prep has floated going co-ed…

i don’t think it has been considered, but what do I know, this time yesterday I thought my dd’s schooling was sorted until she was 18! 🤣

Sorry. But how does the hike on VAT fees have anything to do with London politics?!

Historically but no longer. I went to MHSG as the daughter of a GP (my brothers went to MGS of course) but my kids, who are also the children of a GP, are at state school because the fees are so high. Almost all of my colleagues kids are at state schools.

I am surprised about AEGS though but perhaps it didn’t have a good enough niche - not particularly academic?

Man High will welcome them with open arms no doubt. The current head used to be the head of AESG. It is awful for the whole AESG community, so sad. Damn Labour.

@WrongKindOfWaterOnTheTrackthis is basically us. DH and his 2 siblings went to private school. His mum was a SAHM mum and his dad an accountant.

We’re both fairly successful accountants and it’s looking less and less likely we’ll do the private route for our 2 kids.

If you choose to pay for the services of a business then you should be prepared for that business to close if it doesn’t make a profit. If you want to rule out that possibility then private school was the wrong choice.

A good argument for VAT not to be applied to education. It’s messing with children’s lives. I feel bad for any child who has to be uprooted from their friends and teachers. Children are children and deserve a stable education no matter how much money their parents have or don’t have.

That seems really uncaring, if they knew this was on the cards it is wicked to do that.

Such a shame, I feel for the whole school community. Did the year 7 entrance exam go ahead?
Manchester High School will welcome applicants. I believe they are struggling to fill places also.

Yep a terrible policy with only negative impact. Sorry to hear about this school.

My daughter had not long started so I’m quite annoyed tbh. Feel for all the staff and the parents, there’s been pandemonium today over it.

I hope your daughter has another place lined up

It’s really sad but they haven’t filed accounts since their August 2023 accounts so there were red flags that going concern was an issue. Plus plenty of rumours locally. Wherever you go next, check the latest financials on companies house would be my advice. The smaller the school, the harder it is to cover overheads. And single sex schools will inevitably be looking at tie ups to become coed which would probably start at sixth forms - all the private sixth forms are struggling with competition from the excellent sixth form colleges on the area who have a much wider range of subjects on offer and are of course free.

Sadly not, going to call Bowdon tomorrow and hope for the best.

@Isthisright220do look at Terra Nova too, it’s a lovely school. There’s a minibus pickup in the mornings from Alderley Edge.

I’m not affected but I really do feel for all the parents and kids.

The sector is going through a lot of uncertainty right now.

Wilmslow High is actually a very good comprehensive! I attended when I was younger as did all my sisters. The sixth form is fantastic.

I think it’s simplistic to blame VAT.
Im not in Alderley but the school has has a reputation for ages as a nice small girls only school that’s not that academic. They’ve been advertising heavily too which for me indicates issues.
As a business they have failed to adapt to a changing market place.
There isn’t enough people wanting what they offer.
Maybe more want co ed.
Maybe more want bigger schools with more options
Maybe people want higher results if paying £19k a year.
Like any business - will fail if the business model is wrong