Tears as Rendcomb College shuts after more than 100 years

Rendcomb College, an independent day and boarding school for pupils aged three to 18, has shut for the final time today amid the controversial introduction of VAT.

When the Standard spoke to members of the school community, the universal theme was that of sadness.

One young pupil could also be seen walking away from a school building in tears.

A final assembly had reported been held at the school today.

Rendcomb College announced it would be closing permanently at the end of the academic year in January.

It blamed the introduction of a VAT levy on private schools, increases in National Insurance and rising costs.

“For many years, the college has benefitted from significant funding from the Rendcomb College Foundation,” the school’s closure announcement read.

“While this has made the operation of the college possible until now, the enormous increase in the deficit for the current year and the anticipated financial picture for next year mean that such support is unsustainable.

“This is a very sad decision to have taken and follows the exploration of every other feasible option, including mergers and other forms of funding.”

A letter from Rendcomb to parents amid the announcement of the school’s closure said: “You will all realise that the financial climate for independent schools has been increasingly challenging over recent years.

“The impact of Covid, the rise in energy costs, the introduction of VAT on fees and increases in National Insurance for employers have caused enormous problems for many people.

“The effect of these on the independent schools sector has been significant, alongside the increased costs of running a school, coupled with a considerable drop in demand for places.

“You will be aware of an increasingly-large number of such schools that are having to close.

“Rendcomb is therefore not alone, but that is of little comfort.”

A parent rescue group is currently battling to save the college and is in talks with school governors, investors and trustees.

Mum Rosie Broadbridge, whose two children have attended the school, said it was emotional dropping her daughter Destiny off at Rendcomb for her final day at primary school this morning.

She said the Parent Stakeholder Rescue Group has been formed through the belief that the college is salvageable.

The mum gave the examples of Carrdus School, a former private prep school near Banbury in Oxfordshire set to reopen as Olive Frances School, and S. Anselm’s in Bakewell in Derbyshire, which was due to shut at the end of the 2025 year but was saved.

“In 1920, when Rendcomb College was founded by Frederick Noel Hamilton Wills, it was intended to serve many generations, not to end in our children’s generation, 2026,” she said.

“The feeling is highly unbearable to children who started from nursery school and the excellent teaching staff.

“We, the Parent Stakeholder Rescue Group, are in talks with governors, trustees and investors for a turnaround we have seen happen recently at Carrdus School and S. Anselm’s where parents and the community singlehandedly rescued the school.

“It’s a sad day, but all hope isn’t lost.”

Rendcomb College, which is set on a 230-acre estate, was founded as a boys’ school.

Girls joined its sixth form in 1972 before the school became fully coeducational in 1992.

The school’s junior school opened in 2000, and its nursery opened in 2005.

Former pupils include Paralympian Issy Bailey.