Fulneck School closure: Historic day as Leeds private school to shut after 272 years - how it happened
A Leeds private school will close its doors for good from today - after 272 years.
Fulneck School, located on Fulneck Moravian Settlement in Pudsey, will close for good at the end of today (Tuesday, July 8).
Established in 1753, the Yorkshire Evening Post exclusively broke news of the school’s closure in March. Here’s everything you need to know...
How long has Fulneck been in Leeds?
Today’s closure marks the end of an era for the historic school, which has seen the likes of Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith and suffragist Elizabeth Wolstenholme Elmy through its doors.
Fulneck was first established 272 years ago in 1753, to provide an education for the sons and daughters of the Church’s ministers and missionaries. More recently it has offered private education to boys and girls, aged three-18, while attracting a number of overseas borders.
Why was the decision made?
Fulneck officials confirmed in March that the “difficult decision” came after a detailed and careful strategic review.
An “unsustainable decline in students,” exacerbated further by the Covid-19 pandemic and combined with a rise in VAT costs at national level made the school “financially unviable.”
How has the VAT changes impacted the school?
From January 1, 2025, private schools in the UK are required to charge VAT (Value Added Tax) at the standard rate of 20% on all education and boarding services provided for a fee. They were previously exempt.
The Government has estimated that the change will raise £460 million next year, and £1.7 billion by 2030. The Chancellor said the funds would be used to benefit state education.
How have other private schools been impacted?
Moorlands School, located on Foxhill Drive, Weetwood, and first established in 1897, recently announced that it will also close its doors for good at the end of the Autumn Term, on December 31, 2025.
Anna Coulson, headteacher at The Froebelian School in Horsforth, spoke exclusively to the YEP last week on the “devastation” caused by such historic institutions closing down, warning that more could follow as financial pressures bite.
What has Fulneck officials said?
Speaking previously a school spokesperson added: “This decision was not taken lightly, with trustees considering all available and viable options to ensure the school could continue. However, after careful consideration and no offers materialising, the difficult decision to plan to close the school was taken.
“Our priority is now to work with all affected staff, pupils and parents to minimise the impact on them and support them throughout this process.”
What have Fulneck parents said?
Niki Hughes, a parent of a Year 7 child with special educational needs, described the moment she heard news of the school’s closure: “It took the wind out of my sails. It was like being told someone you love has died. It physically hurt.”
Sally Coombes, 51, sent her son to Fulneck School as his special educational needs meant he would not cope in mainstream education. She said: “[The closure] will cause devastation for parents. I am lucky, because my child is about to finish his GCSEs and then will go to college.”
What has Leeds City Council said?
City Council officials have pledged their “full support in line with our admission policies” to any families wishing to apply to a state-funded school in Leeds following the closures of both Fulneck and Moorlands.
An authority spokesperson added: “We do commission Fulneck School to provide provision for a small number of pupils with Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and will be working directly with those pupils and families to ensure suitable alternative placements are found as a priority.”
What is happening with the dispute over pay?
Last week, members of the NASUWT teachers’ union launched an industrial dispute against the school, claiming they have been told they will not be paid for the last half-term.
The school has fiercely rejected these claims and said staff would be paid for all hours worked up until July 8. A spokesperson for the school's trustees added that they remained committed to ensuring that “all legal obligations are met.”