Historic Kent Boarding School Shuts Immediately After Entering Administration
St Lawrence College, a historic independent boarding school in Ramsgate, Kent, has closed with immediate effect after entering administration, resulting in 166 staff redundancies. The school, which was established in 1879, educated children aged three to 18 and had a capacity for 500 pupils, including approximately 175 boarders.
Immediate Closure and Impact on Pupils and Staff
The closure affects the vast majority of its 500 pupils, with only Year 11 and Year 13 students remaining to complete their studies for GCSE, BTEC, and A-Level exams. A total of 44 staff members have been retained to support these examination-year pupils during this transitional period.
Governors' chairman Graham Carter expressed profound sadness, stating, "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."
Factors Leading to the Closure
School bosses cited multiple contributing factors to the administration, including:
- Falling pupil numbers
- Labour's new tax on school fees, specifically the introduction of a standard 20% VAT rate on private school fees in January 2025
- Increasing operational costs
- Wider economic uncertainty
Lord Craig Mackinlay, the former MP for South Thanet, attributed what he called an "absolute tragedy" to Labour's business rate policies and the VAT increase. Chancellor Rachel Reeves had estimated that the VAT would generate £1.51 billion in 2025/26 and predicted it would prompt 37,000 pupils to leave the independent sector, roughly 6% of the current private school population.
Failed Rescue Efforts and Merger Proposal
Despite extensive efforts to rescue the school, including a thorough strategic review and talks with prospective partners, bosses concluded that a viable way forward could not be found. One notable proposal involved merging with nearby Dover College to establish a new site called St Lawrence Dover College and shutting the existing Ramsgate location.
This plan, announced in February, was met with fierce opposition last month after parents staged protests, citing insufficient consultation and planning. The proposal aimed to enable the school's identity and heritage to live on at an alternative site, with warnings that without intervention, the school faced "imminent closure."
Financial Context and Support Measures
Fees at St Lawrence College ranged from £3,702 per term for a day reception pupil to £17,178 per term for a sixth form boarding student, meaning parents could spend more than £50,000 annually. Philip Watkins and Philip Armstrong of business advisory firm FRP have been appointed as joint administrators, confirming they are assisting staff with the Redundancy Payments Service.
The college is now working alongside neighbouring schools and the local authority to help secure alternative placements for displaced pupils. Carter emphasized, "We explored every possible option to secure the school's future... 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."
