
鈥 the prep school attended by Earl Spencer 鈥 has announced plans to close at the end of the academic year.
The 4 to 13 co-educational school 鈥 now part of the Uppingham Group of schools – has entered a period of consultation on the planned closure, with findings expected by spring.
The school, which has been operating since 1911, was in the spotlight last year after , after Earl Spencer – Princess Diana’s brother – wrote about his experiences at the school in the 1970s.
In its latest review, The Good Schools Guide admires the school’s location in a 17th century turreted hall and describes Maidwell as “a wholesome and traditional rural prep where children don鈥檛 just get an education, but a childhood too”.
said that the decision to close had been taken with 鈥減rofound regret鈥 but the school had been operating 鈥渁t a financial loss鈥 for many years.
Barbara Matthews, chair of trustees, partly blamed “negative macro-economic forces” that had become “unrelenting”.
At the close of 2024, Maidwell Hall had just 160 pupils but forecasts show the school would need 250 fee-paying pupils to break even, she said.
Ms Matthews, said in the statement: 鈥淲e are deeply sorry to announce our intention to close Maidwell Hall at the end of the summer term 2025. We know how difficult this will be for parents, pupils and our loyal staff and apologise to the very many people who will be affected and for whom Maidwell Hall holds a special place in their lives.”
She expressed the trustees鈥 鈥渟incere gratitude鈥 to headmaster Anthony Rendall, the leadership team and other staff.
She added that in 2022, Maidwell Hall faced 鈥渁lmost certain insolvency鈥 and , which repaid a six-figure bank loan on its behalf.
She said that Uppingham had invested in the school, financially and educationally, to improve the teaching environment, the buildings and systems.聽
鈥淒espite the very many positives, including an impressive improvement in the school under the new leadership team, the negative macro-economic forces have become unrelenting,鈥 she said.
She explained that since Covid there had been a 鈥渕arked trend鈥 towards parents sending their children as day pupils rather than as boarders. This, she said, had 鈥渞educed the income per child and thus increased the number of pupils necessary for the school to break even鈥.
The statement also cited 鈥渇urther blows鈥 to the school in the autumn budget in the form of VAT on fees, the removal of business rates relief and the 鈥渦nexpected鈥 increase in National Insurance contributions.
Maidwell Hall will continue to be led by Anthony Rendall until its proposed closure in July 2025.聽