Fulneck School: Leading independent school in Leeds issues emotional message on final day
A leading independent school in Yorkshire which is one of three to close this week has issued an emotional message on its final day.
Fulneck School, in Pudsey, which dates back to 1753, announced in March that it was to close on July 8 as it is no longer financially viable.
It comes after Chancellor Rachel Reeves scrapped the VAT break on school fees, meaning parents would have to pay significantly more in fees or the schools themselves would have to foot the bill.
Fees to attend Fulneck school ranged from £14,000-£18,000 a year.
A statement from the school, posted on its Facebook page, said: “After centuries of shaping young minds and nurturing generations, Fulneck School closes its doors for the very last time.
“This isn’t just the end of a school — it’s the end of a community, a history and a home for so many.
“Pupils past and present, staff, families and friends: your memories, laughter, challenges and triumphs are woven into every brick of Fulneck School.
“We leave with heavy hearts but with deep pride in all that Fulneck has stood for over the years — compassion, courage and a commitment to education that has spanned lifetimes.
“To everyone who has ever been part of Fulneck - THANK YOU. You carry its legacy forward.”
There has been a constant decline in the number of students at the Moravian boarding school for some years, trustees said previously, a challenge which was compounded by the pandemic.
Along with a rise in costs, it has had a "devastating" impact and means the school is no longer financially viable, the trustees said earlier this year.