A private pre-school in Prestwich has announced its shock closure, leaving parents with just three weeks to find an alternative.
The £8,000-a-year Prestwich Preparatory School on Old Bury Road will close on March 27, due to the headteacher’s ill health and other ‘external influences’.
Headteacher Patricia Shiels wrote to parents this week, saying: “It is with a heavy heart that I announce the closure of Prestwich Preparatory School for medical reasons at the end of this term.
“I deeply regret having to make this decision, but my health has deteriorated and this has been exasperated by external influences, such as bureaucratic demands.
“Like all other private schools, it has been a struggle with increased costs such as VAT. I have sought professional advice and at this time the only option is to cease trading.”
The school, which opened in 2004, has been beset by difficulties since it was downgraded to ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted in 2017. Since then it has struggled to maintain a good rating, and was told it ‘required improvement’ after an inspection last year.
During a recent follow-up, the government watchdog found several independent school standards remained ‘unmet’, with staff told they ‘lacked
subject knowledge’ and did not receive enough support from management.
Prestwich Prep’s pupil numbers have almost halved since the drop in rating, with only 36 of the 113 potential school places currently taken up.
Companies House records for Friesner Education, the company name the school is registered under, also show the preschool has been declining financially. The latest statements of accounts show the school’s accounts fell from £84k to £39k within a year in 2024.
The headteacher did not wish to comment further on the closure but has assured parents she intends to ‘support any applications and transitions in any way possible’.
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