Private school 'puts arms around' smaller provider

Two of a city's private schools will merge later this year amid a school's "intensifying financial pressures".

Westfield School, in Gosforth, is to join Royal Grammar School Newcastle (RGS), in Jesmond, by the summer term and share governing bodies as part of RGS Newcastle Group of Schools.

Neil Walker, head of Westfield School, said: "Small independent schools are facing intensifying financial pressures, our size means that these pressures affect us more sharply than larger schools."

RGS said, as a more longstanding school operating at a larger scale, it was "putting its arms around Westfield, in order to secure a breadth of educational options for Newcastle families".

Independent schools across the country have faced challenges including the introduction of VAT on school fees last year, and falling pupil numbers.

The schools said they expected to keep their individual names and function independently, but that the merger offered opportunity to collaborate on curriculum and ensure financial sustainability.

• Why was VAT added to private school fees?

Walker said: "Limited cash reserves have restricted our ability to invest in our site and facilities at the scale needed to ensure our long term sustainability.

"By joining a larger and financially resilient group, we can secure the investment needed to move Westfield forward."

Private schools - sometimes called independent schools - charge fees for most students.

The two schools said there were no "immediate plans to change either of the respective schools' fee structures" or continuing bursary awards.

However, there was "still work to do" around regulatory approval, a joint statement read.

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