Fulneck School: Former teacher claims school paid for string of staff parties in run-up to closure
A now closed private school in Yorkshire paid for a series of staff parties in the months leading up to its collapse, a former teacher has told The Yorkshire Post, despite existing financial issues and doubt around the school’s ability to continue operating.
Fulneck School, in Pudsey, which had previously been teaching for over 270 years, owed just under £3.5m when it appointed a liquidator in July.
As far back as 2021, auditors said in the company’s annual accounts that a “material uncertainty” existed which may “cast significant doubt on the company’s ability to continue as a going concern”.
But a former teacher at the school has alleged that despite this, the school paid for multiple staff parties in the months leading to the closure, where food and alcoholic drinks were bought for staff.
They claim that on one occasion, a school inset day – typically used for training – was cut short for a staff retirement party which took place inside the school.
The Yorkshire Post made numerous attempts to contact the school's leadership team, through various channels, to elicit a response. None was forthcoming.
The Moravian Church, the parent organisation of Fulneck School, did not deny that the events took place, but told The Yorkshire Post that its trustees were not aware of and did not sanction the events.
The former teacher, who asked not to be named, said: “We went through rounds of slashing budgets, knocking down part time staff hours, so something was obviously going wrong.
“But while that was going on there was all sorts of promotion of staff, and throwing retirement parties and Christmas bashes, all that sort of stuff.
“No one is saying you can't have a Christmas party, but when you’re paying the local cricket club for drinks and things like that, and using what amounts to parent’s fees and council EHCP money to pay for staff to have a good time – I think that is wrong. That money should be going on additional resources or maintaining equipment.
“I went to an inset day in October 2024, and half of that day was a retirement party for someone – there was booze, food. If I were a parent, I would not consider this a good use of time. This was in a hall where primary school kids do their drama stuff and do performances. I don't think that's right.
"It's like it was treated as a bit of a club, a bit of a party. You’re spending potentially thousands on drinks for everyone, but you’ve got unsecured creditors.”
They also alleged that there was a “culture of excess” within the school, adding: “This could have been avoided. In my opinion, this didn’t need to happen.”
A statement from the school's trustees said: “The trustees were not aware of, nor did they sanction, the events described.
“The school budget reflected numerous cost-cutting measures implemented by the Senior Leadership Team. However, it was not possible to reverse the impact of the continued decline in pupil numbers.”
According to the school’s latest accounts, made up to August 31 2023, the school made an operating loss of £271,450 in 2023, following on from a loss of £409,631 in 2022.
It had also been given a number of loans totalling £1.5m from the Moravian Church, between 2020 and 2023.
A letter sent to parents by the school’s chair of governors as it announced its closure said that the pandemic and “changes within the independent education sector” had also compounded difficulties at the school.