Independent schools are closing in droves. So be sure to find one with a future. Education consultant Suzie Oweiss explains how to choose well.
Choosing a school for your child is arduous at the best of times.
Ethos, facilities, academic results: the list of considerations is endless.
Yet today a troubling new variable has made the task harder still: the financial resilience of the school.
Not so long ago, ‘Where will my child be happy?’ and ‘Which school gets the best results?’ would have been the most pertinent questions to ask. Now the conversation has shifted.
What every parent needs to know is: ‘Which school will still be the same – or even be around at all – in five years’ time?’
The introduction last year of the 20% VAT on private school fees, coupled with the ending of charitable business rates relief for private schools in England, has left many institutions struggling to stay afloat and seeking new ways of securing their future.
The Independent Schools Council (ISC) reports that pupil numbers at ISC schools fell by over 13,000 in the year to January 2025, from 551,578 to 538,215 – worse than government ministers had predicted.
Moreover, by January 2026, no fewer than 105 independent schools had ceased operations after the VAT came into effect, including 15 that had merged with other institutions.
More have followed since then.
Surrey has not been immune.
The Royal School, Haslemere – founded in 1840 as the Royal Naval School for the daughters and sisters of naval and marine officers – closed in 2025, followed this summer by Longacre School at Shamley Green.
Yet there have also been some exciting mergers.
Reed’s School and Feltonfleet at Cobham, together with nearby Ripley Court, announced a merger earlier this year to create the Reed’s Schools Charitable Trust, offering a co-educational pathway from ages 3 to 18.
Reed’s itself will become fully co-ed from Year 7 in September 2027.
Meanwhile, Amesbury School at Hindhead has joined the Charterhouse family – a group already encompassing Edgeborough School at Farnham and Windlesham House in Sussex, as well as Charterhouse itself.
The vision is for the UK’s leading family of co-ed schools, each retaining its independence, while together providing a connected pathway for children aged nine months to 18 years.
In Guildford, Rydes Hill joined the Tormead family in September 2025 and aims to become fully co-educational by 2030. And in Woking, Greenfield and Hoe Bridge have merged to create an all-through co-educational school, while Halstead St Andrew’s has opted for operational restructuring by moving to a single site.
Now based entirely at Horsell, it has also postponed its planned expansion into Year 9 because of a very small Year 8 cohort and financial viability concerns.
What does all this mean for you, as you seek a solid choice for your child?
Well, it doesn’t mean neglecting your original priorities – but you do need to add another layer to your research.
Ask about pupil numbers by year group. And find out whether the school you are considering is part of a trust, or owned by a group.
We are all attracted to set-ups that offer more personalised learning, but bigger structures can bring greater stability.
Yes, that may change the ethos, but a school is always as good as its staff. They are the ones who will remember your child’s face and name in the corridor – not the senior leadership team or trustees.
Has the prospective school changed its model recently? If so, fine – but ask why. What effects does it anticipate as a consequence? And how transparent is it about fee increases?
Don’t be shy of asking about likely future hikes and their potential impact on learning support, school trips, exam fees and so on.
Transparency, indeed, should be your primary requirement when conducting your research. Schools are more than aware of the issues at hand: they will expect your questions and should be prepared to answer them.
Moreover, the search for a financially resilient school doesn’t necessarily mean choosing the most expensive, or the one that is part of the largest group. It means finding one with strong, honest leadership and governance, sustainable numbers, a clear strategy, and the preparedness to adapt to change.
Stressful stuff. But choosing the right school to shape your child’s academic future will ultimately yield huge rewards. So do your homework, seek advice and ask as many questions as possible.
Remember: it’s not about finding the school that is notionally the best. It is about finding the one that will best suit your child – and won’t be vanishing any time soon.
Suzie Oweiss is the founder of PS Education, a specialist consultancy in independent schools; pseducation.co.uk
