Independent school in Liverpool closes as liquidator appointed

The final day of term has marked the end of an era with the closure of Streatham Schools, the independent co-educational school in Crosby, north Liverpool.

Falling pupil numbers and rising costs mean that the school was no longer financially viable, which left the governors and senior management team with no alternative but to close the school and appoint Matthew Dunham, of Liverpool-based Dunham Dean, as liquidator.

This year Streatham Schools had 54 pupils, ranging in ages from four to 16, below its capacity of 70 and a staff of 28.

Mr Dunham said: “Streatham’s position was made more challenging as there was a larger than usual Year 11 class leaving after their GCSEs.

“In the current market it would have been difficult to recruit the required number of pupils to make up the shortfall.

“The governors decided the only option was to close the school, which also sadly means that the teachers and administration staff have been made redundant.”

He added: “Parents were made aware that the school was closing in good time to allow them to make alternative arrangements for the next academic year.

“It has also been important during the last term to work closely with the governors and management to minimise upset and disruption for pupils and staff.”

TV presenter, turned Conservative politician, Debi Jones, took over the joint running of the 90-year-old independent school in 2013 with headteacher Debby Rigby, with plans to buy the school, along with other business partners.

In May 2013 the school’s hopes of scrapping fees by becoming a government-backed free school were dashed by the Department for Education.

Had the move been rubber-stamped by Whitehall officials the school, renamed Streatham Arts School, could have been up and running as a free school by September 2014.

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