Inspired Learning Group (ILG), which runs Park Hill Preparatory School and Nursery, in Kingston, and Bishop Challoner School in Bromley, have both said the closures are partly due to Labour’s introduction of VAT on school fees.
Bishop Challoner was founded in 1950, making it 75 years old. Park Hill is listed as opening in December 1957 on the Gov.uk website however Park Hill says it celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2020, meaning it’s also ben in operation since 1950.
ILG is offering parents of pupils at Park Hill the option to move to its sister school Westbury House School, in New Malden, from September this year, which is a 12-minute drive away. Park Hill will be converted into a dedicated full-time nursery, offering 51 weeks of provision for children aged between three months and four years old.
ILG blamed the decision partly on Labour’s introduction of 20 per cent VAT on private school fees in January. It said closing the preparatory school, which opened in 1949, and moving its pupils to Westbury House would protect both education settings for the future.
Sarah Nunn, Park Hill’s Headteacher, said in a message on the school’s website the move will provide pupils with greater opportunities for social development, a wider friendship network and an expanded extracurricular programme – including sport, music and drama. She said pupils will be guaranteed a place at Westbury House to ensure a “smooth and secure continuation of their education”.
An ILG spokesperson said: “This decision was made because of the downward trend in pupil numbers at Park Hill, due in part to the introduction of VAT on school fees. The benefit of being in a private group is that we can protect both settings, and ensure the continuity and quality of education for our children, who will always remain our top priority.
“This important development represents a key step in ILG’s long-term vision to further strengthen Westbury House in the current climate and ensure it continues to thrive as a high-achieving, nurturing, and forward-thinking school at the heart of our community.
“Our Park Hill setting will be repurposed as a standalone, full-time nursery setting welcoming children from three months old. This nursery will serve as a dedicated feeder into Westbury House, enabling more families to benefit from the quality education and values that define our schools. Our strategy continues to serve the local community with the best educational support and outcomes as possible.”
The board of trustees at Bishop Challoner confirmed on Thursday (June 12) that the Catholic independent school for children aged three to 18 would close at the end of the current academic year on July 4.
The school, which opened in 1950, stated it had been “an incredibly difficult decision” to close but it had to be made due to the “increasingly challenging environment for schools”. It blamed falling birth rates, rising living costs and Labour’s VAT introduction for the decline in pupil numbers at the school.
The school’s Chair of Trustees Patricia Colling said: “This is a very difficult time for our parents, pupils and staff. We are saddened that, despite our best efforts, the school has to close.
“The board of trustees is immensely proud of Bishop Challoner School’s successes over many years and we are especially grateful to our staff who have always put the interests of our pupils first. They are a loyal and dedicated staff.
“The trustees and the senior leadership team at the school are working closely with parents to help identify places in schools so our pupils continue to receive the high-quality education they deserve.
“We have written to the parents of our school, outlining the support available and a meeting will be held for parents to discuss the situation further. We will also provide support for our staff, to help them find roles elsewhere.
“We are acutely aware of the impact this decision has on our young students. Bishop Challoner is a school that has built its reputation on outstanding pastoral care and this makes the decision all the harder.”
