07-05-2025
Top Welsh independent school set to close down
Top Welsh independent school set to close down
Fee-charging St Clare's School in Porthcawl announced the shock news that it has entered into negotiations to shut
St Clare's School in Porthcawl
A top independent school in Wales has announced proposals to close down blaming "economic volatility" and "factors beyond our control". The announcement from St Clare's School in Porthcawl left staff, pupils, and parents in "shock and tears" said one parent.
It comes just months after the controversial imposition of VAT payments on private school fees as well as rises to employers' National Insurance contributions. St Clare's, a day school which has been running for more than 85 years, posts impressive exam results each summer.
In a letter to parents the school management also blames the falling local birth rate. They said projected pupil numbers for next academic year make the school "unsustainable".
Responding to the news the Welsh Independent Schools Council warned as many as 19 other private schools in Wales face closure.
Parents said they received a letter out of the blue from St Clare's at 6pm on May 6 – just two hours after the head and staff were told of the plans to shut. Meetings were being held on Wednesday at the school, which says on its website that it charges fees of between £2,000 and £6,000 a term for children aged from nursery to sixth form.
The non-selective school, which is understood to have around 150 pupils, is run by the education company Cognita UK, which operates a number of schools across the UK.
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The Welsh Independent Schools Council has warned since last year that closures could follow if VAT was imposed and you can read more of our coverage about that here .
In her letter announcing the news from St Clare's to parents Nicola Lambros, general manager of Cognita, UK said the school would do everything it could to help them find alternative places at a local school for their children should the decision be taken to close.
St Clare's has entered into negotiations with staff affected.
Ms Lambros said the decision was not a reflection of the school's academic success but of other factors.
Her letter added: "We recently carried out a full review of the school's sustainability in response to the rapidly-changing environment for independent schools. This included determining the demand for independent school places within the local catchment area both now and in the future.
"Sadly the review has concluded that factors outside our control, including the falling local birth rate and economic volatility mean our pupil numbers are projected to be at an unsustainable level next academic year.
"I am therefore very sorry to inform you that, after careful consideration and extensive deliberation, we have begun a consultation with staff about our proposal to close the school at the end of the autumn term 2025 (December 2025).
"This is clearly a difficult situation – none of this reflects the excellent educational environment [head teacher] Mrs Hier and her team have developed at St Clare's and we understand that this news will be upsetting for your family and the wider school community."
Helen Hier, head teacher of St Clare's School, Porthcawl, was said to be in tears at the news
Parent Gareth Davies, who has a son at St Clare's, said there was shock and anger at the news and in meetings at the school on Wednesday.
Mr Davies said: "The head teacher Helen Hier was in tears. Staff were crying and the children are devastated. The school forms a significant part of the community here and the way the news was delivered was appalling.
"We knew there'd be issues with the addition of VAT and employers' National Insurance going up. However the school could have consulted parents and made us aware.
"We could have looked at other forms of fundraising to save the school or worked to find a solution for everyone. As you can imagine this has come as quite a shock."
The Welsh Independent Schools Council squarely blamed new National Insurance and VAT payments.
It said in a statement: "It is with deep regret that the Welsh Independent Schools Council (WISC) acknowledges the proposed closure of St Clare's School in Porthcawl at the end of the autumn term 2025. St Clare's has been a cornerstone of educational excellence in south Wales, nurturing generations of pupils through its dedicated staff and vibrant community.
"This announcement is not an isolated event but reflects the mounting pressures facing independent schools across Wales. Recent policy changes have significantly impacted the sector:
Introduction of 20% VAT on school fees: Effective January 2025, this measure is expected to increase the financial burden on families, potentially leading to decreased enrolment and financial viability challenges for schools.
Withdrawal of charitable business rates relief: From April 2025 the removal of this relief will further strain school budgets, particularly affecting smaller institutions.
Increase in employer National Insurance contributions: The rise from 13.8% to 15% adds to the operational costs for schools, impacting their ability to sustain staffing and resources.
"WISC analysis indicates that up to 19 independent schools in Wales could face closure due to these compounded financial pressures, potentially displacing approximately 6,500 pupils and creating an £80m funding gap for the Welsh Government.
"We urge policymakers to consider the broader implications of these changes on educational diversity and parental choice in Wales. WISC remains committed to supporting our member schools during this challenging period and advocating for a sustainable future for iindependent education in Wales. "
A spokesperson for Cognita said: "We recently shared some difficult news with our community at St Clare's regarding the future of the school.
"The impact of a number of factors outside of our control, including the falling birth rate and the decrease in demand for school places, means our pupil numbers are forecast to drop to an unsustainable level next year, which sadly means we have to propose closure.
"Our priority is our families, students and staff, and we will continue to do everything we can to support them through this proposal process."
The full letter to parents from Cognita
Announcement to Parents re. St Clare's School
Dear Parents,
I am writing to share difficult news about the future of St Clare's School.
We recently carried out a full review of the school's sustainability in response to the rapidly-changing environment for independent schools. This included determining the demand for independent school places within the local catchment area both now and in the future.
Sadly the review has concluded that factors outside our control, including the falling local birth rate and economic volatility mean our pupil numbers are projected to be at an unsustainable level next academic year.
I am therefore very sorry to inform you that, after careful consideration and extensive deliberation, we have begun a consultation with staff about our proposal to close the school at the end of the autumn term 2025 (December 2025).
This is clearly a difficult situation – none of this reflects the excellent educational environment Mrs Hier and her team have developed at St Clare's and we understand that this news will be upsetting for your family and the wider school community.
Please be assured that we will do everything we can to support you in finding alternative places at a local school for your children should the decision be taken to close. In the accompanying information we have further outlined details about the proposal including details of alternative providers and information about next steps.
We will shortly be entering into a period of consultation with affected staff members regarding the proposal. During this period our focus will remain on the children and ensuring their education continues uninterrupted while supporting our colleagues at St Clare's.
We would like to invite you to a parent meeting at the school on Wednesday, May 7, at 9am and/or 6.30pm in the Senior Hall to discuss the proposed closure and the options available for your children from January 2026. We hope you can attend the meeting(s) and look forward to seeing you. We will be inviting parents of children currently in Years 10 and 12 to an additional online meeting to provide details about support that we will be offering to minimise disruption to exam cycles should the decision be taken to close.
Yours sincerely, Nicola Lambros General Manager Cognita, UK
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