Alderley Edge School for Girls closed its doors for good on Friday, June 26, weeks earlier than originally announced, leaving parents and pupils devastated. Governors cited safety concerns following parent protests, according to an email sent to families.
Sudden Closure Leaves Families in Shock
The fee-paying school, which serves 400 girls aged 2 to 18, had previously announced it would close at the end of the academic year on July 7 due to financial pressures. However, the early closure on Friday, after the school was already shut for the day, meant students had no opportunity to say goodbye to teachers or friends. Parents were left scrambling for childcare for the final fortnight of term.
The email, seen by the Manchester Evening News, stated that the closure was for health and safety reasons, claiming ongoing protests by parents meant the school could no longer guarantee safety on site. The decision followed risk assessment reviews.
Governors Cite Safety Concerns
The letter from the school's governors read: "We recognise the strength of feeling within the parent community and the distress caused by the proposed closure. Peaceful and respectful expression of concern is entirely understood; however, since yesterday there have been incidents involving a small number of parents on or near the school site, on social media, and direct communications to staff which have caused serious concern for the welfare of pupils and staff."
It added: "No member of staff, pupil, parent or governor should be placed in a position where they feel unsafe to attend school or are subjected to inappropriate comments on social media and/or receive unwanted communication by email or in person. We have requested on a number of occasions for this behaviour to stop, but sadly it hasn’t."
The governors concluded: "As the Governing Board, our priority must be the health and safety of our staff, pupils, and parents. With great sadness, we must therefore inform you that the school site will be closed to pupils and parents from 17:45 today, and will not reopen."
Parent Campaign and Financial Woes
The school, located in the affluent Cheshire village of Alderley Edge, had been put up for sale earlier this month with estate agent Savills, with final bids due by July 8. The property listing described it as a "prime development opportunity... in one of Cheshire’s most desirable and affluent locations."
When the closure was first announced, the school cited the Government's introduction of VAT on private school fees, falling numbers, and a slowing birth rate as reasons for the school being "no longer considered financially sustainable." Parents had formed a rescue group and secured a potential £4 million in funding to save the school, but governors rejected the proposal as non-viable.
Parent Gary Chaplin, 54, from Wilmslow, whose daughter Ava was a student, said: "Friday's actions just defy belief. I have a 17-year-old who, along with hundreds of other girls from age three to 18, has just had her school life abruptly ended. No chance to say goodbye, no transition parents evening, no closure."
Chaplin was attending a meeting with Tatton MP Esther McVey on Friday night when the news broke. He described seeing parents reading the email in disbelief: "You could see people at the meeting as the email dropped one by one reading it in disbelief. There was shock and real upset."
Impact on Families and School Events
The sudden closure has left working parents in a desperate situation, with many needing to find childcare from Monday onwards. All school events have been cancelled, including a leavers' festival and awards evenings, although two paid-for school trips—to Greece and a Duke of Edinburgh expedition—will go ahead.
The school has asked parents and pupils not to visit the site unless by appointment, and said more information about returning pupil property will be communicated early next week. Separate communication regarding fees and deposits will also follow.
The governors' letter ended: "This is not the outcome any of us would have wanted, however our priority must be the safety and wellbeing of our staff and pupils. We know this has been an extremely challenging time for everyone – above all else, we wish our pupils every success and happiness as they continue their educational journey."
Chaplin added: "This decision means we've all missed out on parents evening and things like the leaver's assembly, awards evenings, my daughter was practicing for a valediction piece while other students were preparing musical performances. Why would they do this? To rob them of those moments?"
