Another small independent school — Loreto Preparatory School in Trafford —has announced it will close because of “unprecedented financial challenges”, the Manchester Evening News reports.
The independent Catholic primary school for girls aged from three to 11 in Altrincham has announced that it is “no longer viable” and will close at the end of this academic year.
The school is in the borough of Trafford, an area where competition is stiff for its six state grammar schools, including the prep’s former sister school Loreto Grammar.
The announcement comes only weeks after another small day school, Fosse Bank School in Tonbridge, Kent said it would be closing on March 24 after its failure to find a buyer.
Loreto Preparatory School, which is run under the trusteeship of the Loreto Sisters, has 120 pupils.
In a statement the school said they were “extremely saddened and upset” at having to take the decision.
The statement said: “We, as trustees and proprietor of Loreto Preparatory School, are all extremely saddened and upset at having had to make this tough decision to close our wonderful school at the end of this academic year.
“The school is facing unprecedented financial challenges which is due in part to the impact of the pandemic and the current economic climate, and following external advice, we have determined that the school is no longer viable, based on the decline in student numbers.
“Our priority now is to support our pupils, their families and our colleagues over the next few weeks and months, to make sure that they are looked after as best we can during this unsettling period.”
