With an increased number of independent schools closing with little or in some cases virtually no notice, Head of Belmont School, Lancashire, Devin Cassidy, reflects on his own past experience of closure and suggests that it should never be treated as a purely commercial decision – children, families and staff must remain at the heart of it all.
Having led the closure of an independent school in July 2025, I know first-hand how emotionally and professionally demanding that process can be. Closing a school should never become routine, nor should it ever be treated as a simple commercial decision. It is about children, families and dedicated professionals whose lives are profoundly affected.
When our school closed, we made the difficult but principled decision to give a full term’s notice to pupils, parents and staff. That time mattered. It allowed children to prepare for change, families to make informed decisions and staff to seek alternative employment with dignity. We worked tirelessly to secure places for every pupil at other local schools, supported by remarkable co-operation from neighbouring providers who recognised that the priority had to be the welfare of children. Personally, I wrote hundreds of references to help colleagues secure new roles. It was exhausting, but it was unquestionably the right thing to do.