**Swansea’s Oakleigh House School Faces Closure Amid Falling Enrolments, Marking Broader Pressures on Private Sector**
Oakleigh House School in Swansea, the city’s only independent preparatory institution, has announced it is considering closure after over a century of service. The surprise move, revealed to parents and staff this week, would see the school shutter its doors, potentially as soon as December. This follows another planned closure in Wales: St Clare’s School in Porthcawl, both of which are operated by education company Cognita UK.
Cognita attributed the decision to financial strain, underpinned by spiralling costs and dwindling pupil numbers. The company pointed specifically to increases in employer National Insurance expenses and the imposition of VAT on school fees as major contributors. In a statement, Cognita described the decision as “difficult news” for affected families and staff. The company explained it had conducted a “comprehensive review” of the local market and projected that student numbers would soon reach an unsustainable low.
For many parents, news of Oakleigh House’s uncertain future has come as a shock. Given its historical legacy and status as the only preparatory school of its kind in Swansea, the proposed closure marks a significant loss for the local independent education landscape. The school currently caters to children aged two and a half up to 11 years, charging between £3,736 and £4,492 per term depending on the year group.
Official figures from recent assessments maintained that more than half of Oakleigh House pupils achieved above-average results in English and maths, compared to peers at British Curriculum Schools internationally. This underscores the school’s academic record, making the closure all the more poignant for many connected to the community.
With mounting pressure on private schools across Wales, there’s growing concern about the viability of other institutions. Paul Norton, director of the Welsh Independent Schools Council (WISC), has warned that as many as a quarter of the country’s approximately 80 fee-paying schools may be at risk. Norton highlighted that the “blanket application” of VAT and rising employment costs are especially daunting for smaller independent schools, which play pivotal roles for families whose children may not thrive in mainstream state education.
Amid the uncertainty, other local schools are keen to offer support and continuity to affected families. Ffynone House School, also in Swansea, has stated it stands ready to assist parents seeking alternatives. The school, formerly part of Cognita but now run by trustees, currently accepts students from age 11 and is exploring the possibility of reinstating its primary section. Pini Patel, a parent and trustee at Ffynone, expressed the school’s readiness to welcome new pupils and reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to stability and quality education.
The broader context for these closures lies in recent government policy changes, which have significantly affected the independent education sector’s delicate finances. Many argue that the generalised introduction of VAT does not account for the unique contributions and challenges of smaller schools embedded in local communities.
As Oakleigh House School prepares for the possibility of ending its storied tenure, families, staff, and pupils face a period of uncertainty. The abruptness of the announcement reflects the unpredictable and rapidly changing environment for private education across the UK, and particularly in Wales.
For now, Cognita has confirmed that Oakleigh House and St Clare’s are the only institutions it operates in the country. It says it will support families in securing alternative school places for affected children, should the closure proceed as planned. Meanwhile, local independent schools remain watchful, aware that their futures may also depend on navigating these economic pressures and a quickly evolving policy landscape.