Independent school consulting on possible closure

An independent school has announced it could close this summer, citing recent "challenges" faced by the fee-paying education sector.

Edenhurst Preparatory School in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, has started a formal consultation process with parents, staff and other stakeholders on the proposed closure.

It would come 65 years after the school was founded by the Copestick family in 1961, offering places for children aged from three months to 11 years old.

In a statement on its website, the school said it would shut at the end of the summer term but confirmed its nursery would not be affected and was expected to remain open.

"This proposal follows a prolonged period of careful review by the school and its governors in response to a number of challenges facing the independent school sector in recent years," it said.

The BBC has contacted the school for further comment.

A final decision on closure had not been made, the statement added, and governors would determine the next steps after the community had shared its views.

The statement continued: "The governors recognise that this news will be very difficult for pupils, families and staff.

"Edenhurst Preparatory School has been an important part of the local community for many years and the immediate priority is to support pupils and colleagues with care and sensitivity during the consultation period."

The school, which has between 14 and 16 pupils per class, said it would remain focused on "providing stability and continuity" for its students for the remainder of the academic year, while supporting families and staff through the consultation process.

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