St Lawrence College, a historic independent day and boarding school in Ramsgate, Kent, has closed with immediate effect after falling into administration, resulting in the loss of 166 jobs. The school, established in 1879, educated children aged three to 18 and had capacity for 500 pupils, including approximately 175 boarders.
Only Year 11 and Year 13 pupils will remain to complete their GCSE, BTEC and A-Level exams, with 44 staff retained to support them. The school cited falling pupil numbers, Labour's new tax on school fees, increasing operational costs, and wider economic uncertainty as factors leading to its closure.
Graham Carter, chairman of the governors, described the closure as an 'incredibly sad day' for everyone connected with the school. He stated that every possible option to secure the school's future had been explored, including a proposed merger with nearby Dover College, which faced fierce opposition from parents and was ultimately abandoned.
Former South Thanet MP Lord Craig Mackinlay attributed the closure to Labour's business rate policies and the introduction of the standard 20% VAT rate on private school fees, which came into effect in January 2025. Rachel Reeves had estimated the VAT would generate £1.51 billion in 2025/26 and prompt 37,000 pupils to leave the independent sector.
Joint administrators Philip Watkins and Philip Armstrong of FRP are assisting staff with the Redundancy Payments Service. The school is working with neighbouring schools and the local authority to help secure alternative placements for its pupils.
