A primary school has announced it will be closing “with a very heavy heart” after almost 70 years.
Bryony School in Rainham informed parents it was undergoing a consultation period and was facing closure at the end of May.
Bosses say they had been exploring a “large range of options” to keep the independent provider running while continuing to grapple with “political and economic” challenges.
But last Monday (June 23), parents were told the independent provider will not be reopening again in September.
In an emotive letter, school proprietors Mr and Mrs Edmunds said they have been left “distraught” by the decision.
“It is with a very heavy heart that we write this letter to you,” they said.
“Following a period of statutory consultation with employees which ended today, we have had to take the difficult decision to start the process of closing the school on August 31 at the end of this academic year.
“We have run Bryony School as an extension of our family and a way of life for over 36 years and are completely and utterly heartbroken.
“This has been the hardest decision of our lives; one that we have tried very hard to avoid having to make, particularly given the impact this will have on our dedicated, talented and passionate staff, wonderful pupils, supportive parents and our own family, who have worked tirelessly to prevent this outcome.
“Due to our retirement, we have, as you know, been working very hard to secure the future of our wonderful school.
“Our aim has always been for our school and our legacy to continue to educate future generations and to continue employment for Bryony staff.”
Despite working to finalise a sale with a new proprietor, the school’s management team say they have not been able to do this.
They added: “We have had an unexpectedly long, stressful, and expensive process related to lease and now we have been served formal notice to terminate the lease.
“Whilst expecting an imminent sale – delayed by the lease issue – we have faced additional political and economic challenges both as a small non-association independent school and as a small business.
“We have incurred rising business costs in running our school, including increased employers’ national insurance contributions and rates.
“The imposition of VAT on school fees partway through the academic year, together with the increased costs of living faced by our parents, has impacted our pupil numbers.”
In October, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the policy to apply VAT to private school fees would help “provide the highest quality of support and teaching” in the state sector.
At the time, Treasury minister James Murray suggested that most private schools would be able to keep fee increases “affordable” for parents by absorbing a “significant proportion” of new VAT charges.
But the Labour’s government’s move to end tax breaks for private education has been slammed by some in the sector who say it will serve only to “increase the divide” between state and independent sectors as some private providers struggle to survive.
Mr and Mrs Edmunds added: “We took over the school as teachers ourselves with the aim of offering parents a high-quality private education to as many children as possible in our community.
“To do this, we have always kept fees as reasonable as possible.
“For many hard-working parents, the VAT on school fees has meant that independent education is regrettably no longer a choice available to them.
“Our pre-school income has also been impacted by the government’s hourly funding rate to provide up to 30 hours of funded childcare per week.
“This hourly rate does not cover what it actually costs to deliver high-quality early years education.
“We were diligently fighting these various challenges and were feeling positive, reassured also by all the work we have put in to secure the future of Bryony, or so we thought until we have been blindsided by the junior lease issue.”
The school also said it informed parents about its lease situation “as soon as [it] learnt about it”.
“As much as it would have been easier for us not to, we respect you, care deeply for your children, and wanted to be open and honest,” the letter continues.
“This was to give you as much time as possible to process the possibility that the school might close and as parents to think of your individual potential backup plans for your child(ren).
‘We appreciate that this period of uncertainty has been incredibly difficult for everyone…’
“We appreciate that this period of uncertainty has been incredibly difficult for everyone but unavoidable given the limitations on what we could share due to legal obligations, including those linked to the now complete statutory staff consultations.
“We would like to thank all parents for your overwhelming support, patience and understanding of the situation.”
It has also thanked both its current and former staff.
Medway Council and Kent County Council have been informed of the closure and will be supporting parents to find school places for their children from September.
The school, in Marshall Road, costs up to £2,680 per term to attend and was established in 1956.
It was last inspected by Ofsted in November 2022 when it was rated as a “Good” school.
Mr and Mrs Edmunds added: “Whilst we have considered a large range of options with our advisors, we have not found a viable alternative option to keep the school running within the limited time available.
“The financial burden already placed upon us has made it impossible to take on the additional costs and risks that alternative options would involve.
“Regrettably, this has left us with no alternative but to proceed with closure.
“Our role now is to support not only our staff but you and your child as you make decisions regarding your child’s future.
“We believe that Bryony School has always brought out the best in our pupils and provided an excellent grounding for the hundreds of children including those from different generations of the same family who have passed through its doors.
“We are so proud of what we all have collectively achieved at Bryony School. It makes the thought of closure so very hard to believe and we are simply distraught at the prospect.
“We hope we can count on your continued support and understanding as we all help each other during this difficult time.”
