Parents shocked after school announces closure

Parents say they have been left stunned after an independent school announced it would likely close its doors in July.

More than 500 children who attend St Joseph's College in Reading, Berkshire, may now have to move to new schools.

In a letter sent to parents, headmistress Laura Stotesbury said unless the school received a significant cash injection it would shut.

She said the governors had made the "difficult decision to enter a period of consultation" about its future.

Stotesbury wrote: "That is devastating news. For your children, for you, for our staff and indeed for the whole of our community."

A spokesperson for the school confirmed that the potential closure was due to financial constraints.

"The independent school sector has been hit hard in recent years, with the introduction of VAT on school fees, the removal of business rates relief, rising costs, and for parents, the cost-of-living crisis and many other external factors," the spokesperson said.

Shahida Afzal's two sons, aged 11 and 14, have been attending St Joseph's since they were toddlers.

She said the letter from the school left her "absolutely shocked" and "very disappointed".

"My youngest was going into Year 7 in September and now it's just getting his head around 'oh, so I'll be leaving my friends behind'," she said.

"It's going to be challenging and just very difficult for both of the boys."

Afzal said the family were now struggling to find a new school as many of the local state schools are oversubscribed.

She said: "Our choices have been taken away. That's the frustrating thing here.

"We're concerned about ending up at a school where we wouldn't have wanted to go because everything's been left so last minute."

Karen Rudnitski, whose son and daughter attend St Joseph's, said she was also finding it "incredibly challenging" to find a "suitable option".

"Trying to navigate the system has also been incredibly opaque and really difficult," she said.

"There are different websites, different school procedures, and we have not been provided any kind of support on how to navigate that or how these state schools are even going to open up spaces to the influx of like 600 children."

Some parents have raised concerns about having already paid more than £1,000 towards a school trip that was meant to take place next year.

They said the school asked for the money to be paid less than a fortnight ago.

"It's a bit cheeky, considering I'm absolutely certain they would have known they've been in financial crisis for some time now," Afzal said.

"I'm disappointed that we've been charged with no confirmed path for getting our money back for a trip not scheduled until 2027," Rudnitski added.

In a note to parents the school said it was "unable to answer with certainty" whether they would be refunded for the trip.

"When we have a better understanding of the position, we will inform those affected," it said.

A St Joseph's spokesperson said: "We are committed to supporting the entire school community to ensure as smooth a transition as possible for pupils and their families, and staff, should the school have to close."

St Joseph's College opened in Reading in 1910. The school's oldest building, Broad Oak, is a Grade II listed building.

It is unclear what will happen to the building and the grounds if the school closes.