News
Cambridge prep school faces closure
16th March 2010 - St Colette’s Prep School in Girton, Cambridge is likely to close at the end of this academic year. The school, which is owned by Piscari Learning, a small, independent school business, is facing this decision due to a continuation of insufficient number of pupils and new registrations. The school has been operating at 60-65% capacity for almost two years with no indication of increasing anytime in the future.
The proposed closure will impact the families of the 66 pupils aged between 2½ and 7 years and 17 members of staff. Piscari Learning is currently helping parents to identify and secure a place for their child at an alternative school for September 2010. The company is also supporting staff through this difficult time. Gretton School, also owned by Piscari Learning and sharing the same Girton site is unaffected by the closure. Gretton School operates independently and is a special school for children and young people with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.
Piscari Learning purchased St Colette’s in July 2008 and saved it from certain closure due to the expiration of the lease on the school’s previous site at Tenison Road, Cambridge. Piscari Learning acquired the Girton site and refurbished it to a high standard providing dramatically improved facilities for the school. Unfortunately pupil numbers and new enquiries for places have proved insufficient to operate viably. This is despite significant investment in marketing the school at its new location and the provision of a subsidised coach service for pupils.
The lack of demand and proposed closure has been attributed to the forced relocation of the school and the economic downturn. In addition, the school’s future finances and pupil numbers are further challenged by the Government’s decision to increase free early learning hours for 3 and 4 year olds from 12.5 to 15 hours a week. Funding under this scheme will not cover the staff and overhead costs at St Colette’s for these early learning classes which account for 60% of the school’s places.
Mike Lander, CEO of Piscari Learning, said: “Regrettably, despite the valiant efforts of all involved, we appear to have lost the battle to save St Colette’s. The impact of the recession combined with being forced to relocate the school away from central Cambridge has caused an unsustainable lack of interest and demand for the school. We are deeply saddened to be faced with this decision and the prospect of potentially losing a unique school with some truly exceptional people. We are entering into a consultation period with our staff and hope to make this difficult time as supportive as possible. In the meantime our thanks to Ann Wilson and her team for their continued hard work and commitment which have enabled generations of children to leave the school feeling confident in their future.”
St Colette’s headteacher of 14 years Ann Wilson added: “It has been a great privilege to work with my teaching and support team and to have been entrusted with shaping so many children’s introduction and early experiences to education. It is a real tragedy that there is simply not enough demand to sustain the school. Our focus now is to continue the same quality education for our children to the end of the academic year and support our parents to find new places at alternative schools for September.”
St Colette’s will continue, through the Spring and Summer terms, providing the same quality teaching and pastoral care for which it has become renowned. Holiday childcare and playschemes will also continue as usual during the Easter holidays and May half term. Piscari Learning currently has no future plan for St Colette’s site and will be exploring different options.
*ENDS*
For further media information please contact:
Jo Barrett or Sue Rizzello
Potion PR
Email: jo@potionpr.com or sue@potionpr.com
Tel: 01753 683 828 or 07872 463999