Parents with children at a Bromley private school that has announced its closure have launched a fundraiser in an attempt to save it.
Two weeks ago, Bishop Challoner School鈥檚 Board of Trustees confirmed that the Catholic independent school for children aged three to 18 would close at the end of the current academic year, citing Labour鈥檚 VAT hike and rising living costs as contributing factors.
The announcement came as a shock to the whole school community, with many parents now scrambling to secure places at other schools before September. Some parents have now banded together and launched a fundraising campaign to raise the money needed to keep the school going.
Bishop Challoner is notable for its high percentage of pupils with SEND (special educational needs or disabilities). At the school鈥檚 2024 inspection by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), officers found that 94 of the school鈥檚 271 pupils had SEND, just over a third of the student body.
There are concerns about how that many pupils will fit into alternative provision within the borough.
Many Bishop Challoner parents have said they chose the school because of its SEND provision, with one describing it as 鈥渟econd to none鈥 and calling Bishop Challoner a 鈥渂eautiful鈥 school.
This parent, who didn鈥檛 want to be named, said her autistic son fell into what she described as a form of depression following the announcement of the closure. She said she had never seen him like that before.
Following the Covid lockdowns he developed 鈥渋ncredibly debilitating anxiety鈥, but she described how Bishop Challoner helped him come out of his shell and become more socially confident.
She said: 鈥淗e started at Bishop Challoner and the support he鈥檚 had there has just been second to none. It鈥檚 absolutely amazing. They鈥檙e so patient with him and nothing is too much trouble for these staff. It鈥檚 a beautiful, beautiful school.鈥
He鈥檚 made friends at the school, something his mother said is 鈥渕assive for him鈥 and had recently joined a school singing group before the closure.
She said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 been the making of him. It鈥檚 giving him confidence. It鈥檚 something that really soothes him and he really enjoys it.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all just been trashed now. It鈥檚 heartbreaking. People are just devastated.鈥
She also wanted to dispel the 鈥渕isconception that people have鈥 that all parents who send their children to the fee-paying school are wealthy. On the school website, the termly fee for a senior school student is listed as 拢6,562.
She said: 鈥淲e were offered a 10 per cent scholarship because he鈥檚 very, very bright when he is in school, and a 35 per cent bursary on fees; so almost half the fees.
鈥淚f my son was in a state school, he鈥檇 be [eligible for] free school meals. If my son could cope at a state school, he would be at a state school.鈥
Stacey Long鈥檚 five-year-old son Paddy just started at Bishop Challoner. Mr Long attended Bishop Challoner himself as a child, met his wife there, and his mother also worked there for a time and still does on the odd occasion. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like a 35-year connection鈥, he said.
Mr Long also stated his son was 鈥渄istraught鈥 and 鈥渉eartbroken鈥 after he found out his school was closing at the end of the year.
Following the initial meeting where the closure was explained to parents a fortnight ago, he organised a WhatsApp group with all the parents to try and save the school and the fundraiser was launched. As of June 24, it has raised 拢1,835 of its 拢400,000 target.
Mr Long said: 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 building momentum in the public domain and I think it鈥檚 difficult because people obviously have a perception of what Bishop Challoner might be. It鈥檚 so different from an independent fee-paying school.鈥
He referred to the school鈥檚 high percentage of SEND pupils, something he wasn鈥檛 actually unaware of until the closure announcement.
He added: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a fee-paying school, but actually the parents, that money that they earn they work hard for. Parents are sacrificing other things to send their kids to the school. It鈥檚 a small independent school that just offers so much more.鈥
In terms of the fundraiser, Mr Long was hopeful that the parents would be able to gather the necessary funds, but he said that their biggest issue was time. Many parents who have kids at exam ages or with complex needs have abandoned the campaign in order to secure a future education for their children.
Another anonymous Bishop Challoner parent with two children with special needs has notified the school that they will be sending their kids to other schools at the end of the year regardless of the outcome of the fundraiser because they鈥檙e in Years 9 and 10 and will soon be taking their GCSE exams.
They said: 鈥淚t is really unfortunate. The teachers have been absolutely amazing. We鈥檝e been offered a place and we鈥檙e super grateful, but not all the kids have.鈥
They held highly positive opinions of the school, stating that staff were effective and understanding when it came to SEND children. They added: 鈥淧arents go there because it鈥檚 small and because it鈥檚 nurturing. Those kids are now even more vulnerable.鈥
They described how happy their son had been since attending the school, but he was now 鈥渄evastated鈥 at having to move on.
Bishop Challoner has offered no further public comment since it announced its closure on June 12.
At the time it said: 鈥淲ith 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.
鈥淢eanwhile, its operating costs have risen significantly over recent years and further impacted by the recent removal of rates relief and the statutory increase in employer鈥檚 National Insurance.
鈥淭ogether, these factors have placed significant strain on the school鈥檚 financial sustainability.鈥