Leweston School Sudden Closure Leaves 577 Pupils Searching for New Schools in Dorset

Leweston School near Sherborne in Dorset announced on Tuesday 27 October 2026 that it would not reopen after the October half-term break, closing permanently after 135 years. The Catholic co-educational day and boarding school, founded in 1891 as St Antony’s, told families it was sorry for how little notice it had been able to give. Its 577 pupils were offered places elsewhere from Monday 2 November 2026, while staff and parents were left pressing for answers about unpaid wages and prepaid fees.

A 135-year-old Dorset school that did not reopen after half term

Leweston served children from nursery age through to sixth form, as a day and boarding school. Its closure notice was short, and it apologised for the impact on pupils, families and staff. Families learned of the decision during the half-term break, when many had expected a normal return to classes.

Dorset Council said it learned of the closure on Monday 26 October, at the same time as families, staff and the wider community. The council said it was working urgently to support those affected, including help for families considering other education options. Its admissions team is the contact for state-school places, while its Family Information Service is helping with nursery and childcare arrangements.

What Concept Education told families about the cash shortfall

Concept Education chief executive Hugh Dickinson wrote to families that the school had tried to close a cash shortfall caused by falling pupil numbers. He said discussions with people willing to support the school financially had continued through October, but had not ended as hoped. Without that funding, he said, the school could not meet its obligations, including salaries due to staff that week.

The letter listed several pressures alongside falling numbers, including higher employment costs, the loss of business rates relief, fewer boarders and VAT on school fees. Those factors were presented together, not as a single confirmed cause. A charge registered in March 2026 is also on record, but the existence of a charge alone does not prove what caused the closure.

Where 577 pupils were offered places from 2 November

Every Leweston pupil was offered a place from Monday 2 November at a school in the Inspired Learning Group. The group named in the school’s statement includes Clayesmore School and Sunninghill Prep, both in Dorset. Families still need to confirm individual arrangements, including year-group availability, boarding options, transport and fees.

The move matters most for pupils midway through GCSE and A-level courses, where subject choices and continuity are harder to replace. Some parents have questioned whether a new place can match the courses, boarding and support their children had at Leweston. Dorset Council is also helping families who want to consider options beyond the Inspired Learning Group.

Unpaid wages, prepaid fees and the questions MPs are asking

The BBC understood that wages owed in October would not be paid following the closure, and the National Education Union said staff were looking for answers. Parents have also raised prepaid fees, with some families reporting they had paid for a full year and were unsure whether any of it would be refunded. A crowdfunding page set up by parents aims to raise money for staff.

West Dorset MP Edward Morello described the closure as a “shock and a travesty”, while North Dorset MP Simon Hoare said the situation did not smell right. Sarah Dyke MP has pressed for staff to be paid after the sudden closure. Parents have since formed a working group in a bid to reopen Leweston School, according to BBC reporting on 2 November.

Why independent schools say the sector is under pressure

Leweston is the latest independent school to close since VAT on school fees took effect in January 2025, a period in which the Independent Schools Council has reported more than 100 closures. Rising fees and living costs, together with the tax change, have been identified as key drivers behind closures in the sector. Leweston’s own letter, however, cited a combination of pressures rather than VAT alone.

The school had been sold to a subsidiary of Concept Education in December 2025, in an arrangement presented at the time as helping to secure its future. Less than a year later, families were told that future had ended. That contrast is central to the questions now being asked about oversight, notice periods and protection for pupils and staff when a school closes.

Frequently asked questions

Did Leweston School reopen after half term? No. It announced on 27 October 2026 that it would not reopen after the October half-term break and would close permanently.

How many pupils were affected? 577 pupils, from nursery age through to sixth form.

Where were pupils offered places? At schools in the Inspired Learning Group from Monday 2 November 2026, including Clayesmore School and Sunninghill Prep.

Have staff been paid? The BBC understood October wages would not be paid following the closure. Whether staff will ultimately be paid is not publicly verified.

Will prepaid fees be refunded? That is not publicly verified. Some parents have said they paid for a full year and do not know whether any of it will be refunded.

One claim to treat with care is that VAT alone closed Leweston. The letter from Concept Education cited several pressures together, and no single confirmed cause has been publicly verified. Another misunderstanding is that pupils were left with no school at all: every pupil was offered a place from 2 November, even though families may still dispute whether that place suits their child.