Latest news with #Fettes
Scotsman
25-07-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Fettes College appoints Richard Girvan as next Head
Fettes College is delighted to announce the appointment of Richard Girvan, currently Principal & CEO of the Stephen Perse Foundation, as its new Head from September 2026. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... In April, Fettes announced that current Head, Helen Harrison, will be retiring from the role next year, by which point she will have devoted herself to Fettes for over 30 years, serving seven years in the position of Head. Named after its founder, Sir William Fettes, the school opened in 1870 and has around 720 students with over 300 staff. Fettes is the only school in Scotland to offer the option of A-Levels or International Baccalaureate (IB) in the Sixth Form and is a top ten IB School in the UK. Although it currently educates young people aged 7 – 18, from September it will also open a Pre-Prep and offer places to children from age five. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Rt Hon Lady Morag Wise, Chair of the Governors, said: 'We are extremely fortunate to have someone of Richard's calibre joining Fettes. Our shortlist of potential candidates included experienced and excellent school leaders, all of whom were existing Head teachers. Although all of them would have been a credit to Fettes, Richard stood out from these candidates as an outstanding and visionary leader. We look forward to him building on our proud legacy and bold ambitions to lead our community and shape the future of our school as he takes Fettes forward into this new era. Fettes College appoints Richard Girvan as next Head 'Over the next year, Richard Girvan and our current Head, Helen Harrison, both have extensive ongoing commitments leading their respective schools, which they will do to their customary high standards. The year we have, before the change, allows for a smooth handover process and opportunities for Richard, his wife Tessa, and their three children: Molly, Ruairi and Finn to return to Fettes and for them to meet parents, students and staff over the coming months and we look forward to welcoming them into the Fettes family.' Richard will join Fettes from the Stephen Perse Foundation, a group of nurseries, junior and senior schools in Cambridge and Saffron Walden, where he has served as Principal since 2020. Prior to this, Richard spent eight years as Surmaster (Head of the Senior School) at St Paul's School in London. He joined St Paul's directly after graduating from Cambridge, serving as a mathematics teacher, pastoral and boarding house tutor, and coach of athletics and rugby, and later as Director of Sport and Safeguarding Lead. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Originally from Belfast, Richard read Engineering at St Catharine's College, Cambridge, where he also completed his PGCE. During his time at university, he represented Cambridge in both rugby union and rugby league, earning a Blue and student international caps. Richard currently sits on the Academy Council at North Cambridge Academy and has previously held board positions, including two as a governor. Richard said: 'My family and I are thrilled and deeply honoured to be invited to join the vibrant, friendly, full boarding community of Fettes. We're beyond excited to become part of a school with such a rich history, in such a wonderful setting, and with such a community-focused spirit. I eagerly look forward to leading Fettes into its next chapter — one that builds on excellence and embraces opportunity.'
The Herald Scotland
30-06-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Do not believe the middle-class moaning about private schools
To be fair, Labour never denied there would be effects. In fact, they predicted VAT on fees, introduced by the Chancellor Rachel Reeves, would result in around 37,000 pupils leaving the private sector, about 6% of the UK's private school population, and it was a fair prediction. Some parents who send their kids to private schools push the boat out financially to do it, taking out loans and remortgaging and so forth, and any increase in fees has the potential to make it unviable for them. This would appear to be what's happening to some extent now. But the question is not whether some pupils are leaving, the question is whether pupils leaving means the VAT policy is wrong or unfair. Earlier this year, the High Court heard a claim on behalf of seven children attending independent schools that Labour's policy was a breach of their right to education under The European Convention on Human Rights. However, the judges made it clear the convention does not protect the right to pay school fees at a particular level and that 'parents always have the option of not paying any school fees at all, and therefore no VAT, by sending their children to a state school or educating them at home.' Quite. The effect that VAT on school fees may be having on some children, who will now have to go to the state sector, also has to be balanced against the potential positive effects of the policy. Labour estimated it would raise £460m in 2024-25, rising to £1.5bn the following year and says the money will be spent on public services including state schools, meaning more pupils will be positively affected than negatively and in the end every public policy is a balance between positive and negative. The health minister Wes Streeting also made a good point about private schools' charitable status: if they're the good charities they say they are, he said, they can take steps to mitigate against children being forced to drop out. Read more Tunnock's is being blamed for society's problems. Step away from the teacakes Are you 'upset'? The dangers of flags in Scottish schools These are the latest plans at the Glasgow School of Art. Really? The closure of some private schools apparently as a result of the policy on VAT also requires a second look. It's undoubtedly true that some schools have been closing and that some, like Fettes, have been feeling increased financial pressure; it's also true that VAT is one of the factors they've cited. But it's only one of them: Fettes also mentioned the rise in national insurance contributions. And schools, like any other organisation, have been feeling the inflationary pressures and for some, it's all been too much. The truth is that private schools have always come and gone as the financial situation has changed. Data from the government's register of private schools in England for example shows that on average about 85 independent schools closed down each year in the decade from 2013 to 2023 and it was for a variety of reasons: falling rolls, failed inspections, legal problems, as well as financial problems. The point is that the precarious position of some independent schools has always been an issue and will continue to be so. None of this means I'm unsympathetic to parents whose schools close down or who decide to take their kids out of private school. My own parents sent me to an independent school and I'm grateful to them for it: the academic education was excellent and it undoubtedly improved my chances and opportunities. I also feel sympathy for the staff at Fettes who are facing the prospect of losing their jobs; it's a horrible situation to go through. Rachel Reeves (Image: PA) However, even though there will be some negative effects for some people from a policy such as VAT on fees, we should see private schools for what they are and tax them accordingly. The zero rate of VAT on fees was because educational services have generally been exempt; private schools also got business rates relief because they had charitable status, although that was always a pretty dodgy idea. There are bursaries which admit a small number of kids whose families can't afford the fees, and some private schools do some work in the state sector. But you have to ask how a place that charges many thousands of pounds, and therefore excludes many people on average to low incomes, can possibly be a charity. Answer: it can't. What the Government has done here is balance the potential benefit for the state sector against the potential effect on a limited number of kids in the private sector. School fees have always gone up and the average private school parent is likely to have the capacity to adjust their finances. Asked in one survey how they would deal with a rise in fees, parents said they would remortgage, take out a loan, sell an asset or use a gift from family. But of course, lots of people don't have family who can give them money, or a house that they can remortgage, or assets they can sell, which rather underlines the situation we're dealing with here. I hope none of this come across as inverse snobbery because I absolutely support the right of independent schools to exist and the right of parents to send their kids to them if they want to. But it seems to me that the Labour government – any government – must treat independent schools not on the basis of what they say they are but on the basis of what they actually are: institutions that provide education, often excellent, to children whose parents are, almost always, well off. It's why most of what we were told would happen – schools closing, parents being forced to send their kids to comprehensives – hasn't happened. Most people are carrying on as normal, kids are still trotting along to their private schools and most important of all, millions of pounds is being raised for a sector that badly needs it.
Scotsman
21-06-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Edinburgh school Fettes College looks to cut staff in face of rising costs and shrinking student roll
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... One of Scotland's most exclusive fee-paying schools has said that some of its workforce may be made redundant amid ongoing financial pressures, The Scotsman can reveal. Fettes College, which counts former prime minister Tony Blair among its alumni, is undertaking a consultation process designed to lower its staff headcount as it contends with the fallout from the introduction of VAT on private school fees and the rise in National Insurance contributions. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The esteemed private school, which dates back to the 19th century, said that despite being 'financially very well managed' and having a 'strong' student roll, such factors were 'having an impact on our costs and numbers.' It said it was obliged to run its operations as 'efficiently as possible,' and said parents of its pupils needed to be certain that it was using their money 'effectively.' It is understood that teaching staff as well as operational staff at the school are among those whose positions are at risk as part of the proposed changes. The development is one of the starkest signs yet of the growing financial pressures faced by private schools, and comes at a time when student numbers at Fettes have been falling. The prestigious Fettes College in Edinburgh counts former prime minister Sir Tony Blair among its alumni. Picture: PA | PA Student numbers down from 803 to 751 Fettes said it began a consultation process last month to 'right size our staffing model,' adding: 'This difficult decision may result in some redundancies.' However, sources at the school have expressed misgivings over the process, with one characterising it as "insensitive" and 'tone deaf.' Accounts submitted by the school with Companies House show a modest decline in the number of students it educates. Over the 12 months to 31 August 2024, the most recent period for which filings are available, the school educated 751 students, down from 780 across the previous 12 month period, and 803 in 2022. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The total income of the school for the 12 months to the end of August 2024 stood at nearly £24.2m, while its total expenditure amounted to more than £26.2m, with staffing accounting for the greatest share of that figure at some £15.4m. Fettes employs approximately 125 teaching staff and around 210 operational staff who work across various departments, such as estates, housekeeping, catering, IT, finance, admissions, security, and marketing. The school is currently recruiting for a new head teacher, with the incumbent, Helen Harrison, set to retire next year. All | PA School says it has use money 'effectively' In a statement, a spokesman for Fettes said: 'Various factors have conspired to increase costs on all organisations and schools are not immune, particularly with the recent imposition of VAT on school fees and rise in National Insurance contributions. Despite being financially very well managed with a strong student roll, these factors are having an impact on our costs and numbers, and we are obliged to run our operations as efficiently as possible. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'These headwinds obviously affect our families too, and our parents need to be certain that we are taking the necessary decisions to run the school efficiently and to use their money effectively.' The spokesman said that Fettes will continue to provide the 'highest standard of educational experience,' and deliver its 'innovative vision' for the school while maintaining its position as 'a leader in the sector.' He added: 'Looking after our staff is fundamental to who we are and we have undertaken this process with care, following ACAS guidelines. This is a tough time for our sector and we ask for everyone to be sensitive to the privacy and circumstances of the individuals who may be affected. Accordingly, we will not be making any further comment at this time.' As part of their efforts to raise income, the governors of Fettes are also looking at setting up further international schools to join the purpose-built facility in the Chinese city of Guangzhou that bears the Fettes name, and which is owned by the Country Garden Education group. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The most recent accounts for Fettes note that 'the governors' ambitions to explore options and derive additional income from overseas schools continue and a team comprising governors and senior management is in dialogue with investors and operators in new parts of the world where they believe the Fettes proposition will be well received.' VAT charge a 'step too far' for many schools It comes as the head of the body that represents most private schools in the UK warned last week of the increasing financial pressures facing the sector, amid reports of school closures. Julie Robinson, chief executive of the Independent Schools Council (ISC), said that after enduring the challenges of the pandemic, the cost of living crisis, and rising costs and inflation, the introduction of VAT on school fees was a 'step too far' for many schools, and had 'tipped them over the edge.' The ISC has estimated that around 13,000 children around the UK have left private education this year as a result of the VAT policy and its impact on their families. Previously, private schools did not have to charge 20 per cent VAT on their fees thanks to an exemption for organisations providing education. However, that exemption was removed at the start of this year. Fettes was among those schools to make representations as part of a government consultation over the policy, claiming that a 'negligible number' of schools would be able to simply absorb the cost of the VAT. The majority of private schools in Scotland have posted deficits in recent years. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad According to its website, fees at Fettes College - attended by youngsters aged 13 to 18 - stand at £15,150 per term for day pupils, rising to £18,000 per term for boarders. Its prep school fees - for children aged seven to 13 - are £8,500 per term for day pupils and £12,500 per term for boarders. Earlier this month, a group of private schools, pupils and their parents lost High Court challenges over the imposition of VAT on school fees. They claimed the levy was discriminatory and incompatible with human rights legislation, but Dame Victoria Sharp, Lord Justice Newey and Mr Justice Chamberlain said there was a 'broad margin of discretion in deciding how to balance the interests of those adversely affected by the policy against the interests of others who may gain from public provision funded by the money it will raise.' The UK government welcomed the judgment, and said the VAT policy would raise around £1.8 billion a year to support pupils in state schools.
Cision Canada
17-06-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
TPC Development Corporation Announces Major Investment and Executive Expansion to Grow The Picklr Across Canada, Starting in Winnipeg
WINNIPEG, MB, June 17, 2025 /CNW/ - TPC Development Corporation, the exclusive Canadian Master Franchisor of The Picklr (excluding Quebec), is proud to announce a significant expansion of its investor group and leadership team, alongside a multimillion-dollar infusion of growth capital to power its national rollout. The Picklr is North America's fastest-growing indoor pickleball franchise, offering state-of-the-art courts, organized leagues, pro-level coaching, and a vibrant club atmosphere for players of all ages and skill levels. With over 500 locations in development across the U.S., Canada, Japan and elsewhere internationally, it's redefining how communities experience the sport. With a goal of opening 65 Picklr clubs across Canada by 2031, TPC will build on the franchise model that is already flourishing across the United States. The Canadian strategy emphasizes local sourcing of materials, unlimited membership and interclub access, tailored indoor programming, corporate events and partnerships with major commercial and industrial developers, with curated community experiences. Winnipeg is set to make history as the first Canadian city to welcome The Picklr in October 2025. The south Winnipeg Picklr will be located on Kenaston Boulevard at the crossroads of major retail, business and residential communities, bringing a world-class, purpose-built pickleball facility to the heart of the Prairies. With 10 courts, including 2 Championship courts, The Picklr is putting Winnipeg at the forefront of one of the fastest-growing sports in the world. This milestone includes the addition of new Canadian partners with proven track records in entrepreneurship, real estate development, marketing, technology, and professional and youth sports. Leading the equity round is Greg Fettes, a Winnipeg-based entrepreneur and founder of IntouchCX, a global customer experience and technology company with more than 25,000 employees across North America, Europe, and Asia. Fettes also serves as Chairman and Founder of Play Ventures, an investment vehicle focused on sports and community-driven experiences. Play Ventures' portfolio includes Play Hockey Inc., one of North America's largest youth hockey tournament organizers, and Play Pickle Inc., a company dedicated to growing the sport of pickleball in Canada. Fettes immediately joins TPC as Executive Chair. "I've become an enthusiastic supporter and pickleball player, and I see the massive opportunity available to The Picklr to empower Canadian entrepreneurs to bring this incredibly fun, fast-growing sport to communities from coast to coast," said Fettes. "With our first club opening in Q4 in my hometown of Winnipeg, I couldn't be more excited to help lead this expansion and build the pickleball community across Canada." Joining the executive team as President is Rob Lloyd, a fellow Winnipeg native who spent over two decades in senior roles at Cisco Systems in Canada, Europe, and Silicon Valley—most recently as President of Worldwide Sales and Engineering, leading a 40,000-person team. Lloyd also serves as Executive Chair of a professional sports organization managing a network of 24 franchised teams across North America. "Canada is ready for a premium, purpose-built, nation-wide pickleball experience," said Lloyd. "The Pickleball Canada team has the vision, experience, and energy to deliver it—and we're proud to start right here in Winnipeg, with other key markets already in development." The expanded TOC senior leadership team includes: - Mark Arndt, Chief Development Officer – 20+ years developing world-class indoor soccer and tennis facilities and operating an international professional tennis event - David Formal, Director of Franchise Sales, with 25+ years of franchise development experience - Mark Lloyd, Territory Sales Director – 5+ years managing franchise team relationships and national sponsorships across Canada and the U.S. - Troy Buchanan, Senior Vice president, Colliers, Canadian Master Broker The Picklr Canada - Daria Lukie, Associate, Colliers, Master Broker The Picklr Canada About TPC Development Corporation TPC Development Corporation is the exclusive Canadian Master Franchisor (excluding Quebec) for The Picklr, the premier indoor pickleball franchise in North America. TPC is focused on building a national network of high-quality indoor clubs, delivering exceptional franchise opportunities and community-first pickleball experiences across Canada. Founded in Utah, The Picklr is North America's fastest-growing indoor pickleball franchise, with more than 500 clubs in development. The Picklr offers professional-grade courts, leagues, lessons, tournaments, and a vibrant club atmosphere for players of all levels.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
TPC Development Corporation Announces Major Investment and Executive Expansion to Grow The Picklr Across Canada, Starting in Winnipeg
WINNIPEG, MB, June 17, 2025 /CNW/ - TPC Development Corporation, the exclusive Canadian Master Franchisor of The Picklr (excluding Quebec), is proud to announce a significant expansion of its investor group and leadership team, alongside a multimillion-dollar infusion of growth capital to power its national rollout. The Picklr is North America's fastest-growing indoor pickleball franchise, offering state-of-the-art courts, organized leagues, pro-level coaching, and a vibrant club atmosphere for players of all ages and skill levels. With over 500 locations in development across the U.S., Canada, Japan and elsewhere internationally, it's redefining how communities experience the sport. With a goal of opening 65 Picklr clubs across Canada by 2031, TPC will build on the franchise model that is already flourishing across the United States. The Canadian strategy emphasizes local sourcing of materials, unlimited membership and interclub access, tailored indoor programming, corporate events and partnerships with major commercial and industrial developers, with curated community experiences. Winnipeg is set to make history as the first Canadian city to welcome The Picklr in October 2025. The south Winnipeg Picklr will be located on Kenaston Boulevard at the crossroads of major retail, business and residential communities, bringing a world-class, purpose-built pickleball facility to the heart of the Prairies. With 10 courts, including 2 Championship courts, The Picklr is putting Winnipeg at the forefront of one of the fastest-growing sports in the world. This milestone includes the addition of new Canadian partners with proven track records in entrepreneurship, real estate development, marketing, technology, and professional and youth sports. Leading the equity round is Greg Fettes, a Winnipeg-based entrepreneur and founder of IntouchCX, a global customer experience and technology company with more than 25,000 employees across North America, Europe, and Asia. Fettes also serves as Chairman and Founder of Play Ventures, an investment vehicle focused on sports and community-driven experiences. Play Ventures' portfolio includes Play Hockey Inc., one of North America's largest youth hockey tournament organizers, and Play Pickle Inc., a company dedicated to growing the sport of pickleball in Canada. Fettes immediately joins TPC as Executive Chair. "I've become an enthusiastic supporter and pickleball player, and I see the massive opportunity available to The Picklr to empower Canadian entrepreneurs to bring this incredibly fun, fast-growing sport to communities from coast to coast," said Fettes. "With our first club opening in Q4 in my hometown of Winnipeg, I couldn't be more excited to help lead this expansion and build the pickleball community across Canada." Joining the executive team as President is Rob Lloyd, a fellow Winnipeg native who spent over two decades in senior roles at Cisco Systems in Canada, Europe, and Silicon Valley—most recently as President of Worldwide Sales and Engineering, leading a 40,000-person team. Lloyd also serves as Executive Chair of a professional sports organization managing a network of 24 franchised teams across North America. "Canada is ready for a premium, purpose-built, nation-wide pickleball experience," said Lloyd. "The Pickleball Canada team has the vision, experience, and energy to deliver it—and we're proud to start right here in Winnipeg, with other key markets already in development." The expanded TOC senior leadership team includes: - Mark Arndt, Chief Development Officer – 20+ years developing world-class indoor soccer and tennis facilities and operating an international professional tennis event - David Formal, Director of Franchise Sales, with 25+ years of franchise development experience - Mark Lloyd, Territory Sales Director – 5+ years managing franchise team relationships and national sponsorships across Canada and the U.S. - Troy Buchanan, Senior Vice president, Colliers, Canadian Master Broker The Picklr Canada - Daria Lukie, Associate, Colliers, Master Broker The Picklr Canada About TPC Development Corporation TPC Development Corporation is the exclusive Canadian Master Franchisor (excluding Quebec) for The Picklr, the premier indoor pickleball franchise in North America. TPC is focused on building a national network of high-quality indoor clubs, delivering exceptional franchise opportunities and community-first pickleball experiences across Canada. About The Picklr Founded in Utah, The Picklr is North America's fastest-growing indoor pickleball franchise, with more than 500 clubs in development. The Picklr offers professional-grade courts, leagues, lessons, tournaments, and a vibrant club atmosphere for players of all levels. SOURCE The Picklr Canada View original content: Sign in to access your portfolio
