A private school in Ramsgate has plunged into administration and triggered job losses (Image: -)
A historic private school has closed with immediate effect for the majority of its 500 pupils after plunging into administration yesterday. Some 166 employees have been made redundant at St Lawrence College, an independent day and boarding school in Ramsgate, Kent, founded in 1879.
The school taught children aged three to 18, but only Year 11 and Year 13 students will be retained so they can complete their studies for GCSE, BTEC and A-Level exams, with 44 staff kept on to support them. Managers said it was hit by declining pupil numbers, the new Labour tax on school fees, rising operational costs, and broader economic uncertainty.
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Rachel Reeves announced VAT increases for private schools in 2024 (Image: Getty)
Governors’ chairman Graham Carter said: “This is an incredibly sad day for everyone connected with St Lawrence College. This school has been at the heart of the Ramsgate community, and generations of pupils have benefited from the dedication of our staff and the strength of our community, » reports Kent Online.
“We explored every possible option to secure the school’s future, and I want to thank everyone who worked so hard to find a way forward. While this is not the outcome we wanted, our focus now is on supporting our examination-year pupils to complete their studies, helping families find new school places, and ensuring our colleagues receive the support they deserve.”
Fees range from £3,702 per term for a day reception pupil to £17,178 per term for a sixth form boarding student, meaning parents could splash out more than £50,000 per year on the college.
Lord Craig Mackinlay, the former MP for South Thanet, blamed the « absolute tragedy » on Labour’s business rate policies and the introduction of the standard 20% VAT rate on private school fees, as of January 2025.
Rachel Reeves estimated the VAT would raise £1.51 billion in 2025/26, and forecast it would trigger 37,000 pupils leaving the private sector, representing about 6% of the current private school population.
The school had capacity for 500 pupils, including around 175 boarders. Despite attempts to save it, including a comprehensive strategic review and discussions with potential partners, bosses said it was not possible to find a way forward.
One plan was merging with Dover College, to open a new site called St Lawrence Dover College and close the existing one, but it faced huge backlash last month after being revealed in February.
Managers explained it would allow the school’s identity and history to continue at another site, and the school was facing “imminent closure” without action.
But parents staged protests at the school, citing a lack of consultation and planning, which led to governers reconsidering the plan.
Philip Watkins and Philip Armstrong of business advisory firm FRP have been appointed as joint administrators, who said they are supporting staff with the Redundancy Payments Service.
The college said it is working with nearby schools and the local authority to help find alternative places for their children.
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