A Cheshire independent school whose pupils include many girls from Hale and Altrincham is to close its doors this summer after more than 25 years.
Alderley Edge School for Girls has announced it will shut at the end of the current academic year, with governors citing "immense unprecedented cost pressures" as the reason for the decision.
The school on Wilmslow Road, which teaches around 450 pupils aged three to 18, was founded in 1999 following a merger of Mount Carmel and St Hilary's schools. It will formally close on Tuesday 7th July, with all year groups - from nursery through to the sixth form - affected.
Caroline Lowe, Chair of Governors, said the announcement had been made with "deep sadness", adding that governors had spent years trying to secure the school's future before concluding it was no longer financially viable.
The school pointed to a combination of factors behind the closure, including the government's introduction of VAT on independent school fees, the removal of business rates relief, higher employer national insurance contributions, rising costs, and a significant fall in pupil numbers in recent years.
Ms Lowe said: "This comes after exhaustive efforts over recent years to secure the school's future amidst major financial pressures, a significant decline in pupil numbers, and substantial sector-wide challenges."
Governors have begun a formal consultation with staff, and the school says its priority is to support pupils, families and employees through the process "with compassion and clarity."
Families in Hale and Altrincham whose daughters attend the school are now faced with finding alternative placements for September. The closure adds to growing concerns nationally about the financial pressures facing the independent schools sector following the government's decision to apply VAT to school fees from January 2025.
The full statement reads: "It is with deep sadness that we announce that the Board of Governors is proposing to close Alderley Edge School for Girls at the end of the current academic year in July 2026.
"This is an immensely difficult message for us to share, and we recognise the sadness, shock and uncertainty it will bring to our pupils, families and staff. This comes after exhaustive efforts over recent years to secure the school’s future amidst major financial pressures, a significant decline in pupil numbers, and substantial sector wide challenges.
"Our priority now is to support our pupils, families and staff as much as possible. We have commenced a formal consultation with our staff and are focused on respecting this process.
"We know this news will be profoundly upsetting for our community, and we are committed to guiding families and staff through this period with compassion and clarity. We will continue to update and support our community over the coming weeks and throughout this process."
