“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.
Bishop Challoner School declined The Independent’s request for comment.
