Crime & Safety
UK private school goes in liquidation after 165 years
Our Lady’s Abingdon, a private school in Radley Road founded in 1860, was forced to close permanently for financial reasons, according to its governors, who sent letters to parents in August alerting them to the news.
The Statement of Affairs submitted to Companies House revealed Our Lady’s Abingdon Trustees Ltd accumulated debts of £1,555,596 owed to 121 company creditors, and has gone into liquidation.
READ MORE: Private school could be sold this summer
Following the closure announcement, families had to scramble to find places for about 300 pupils at new schools, including state schools and private schools across the county.
Now it has emerged that the school buildings and school site is expected to be sold, which could be worth millions of pounds.
The buildings are expected to be sold during the summer by the owners, the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy, based in Leeds.
A spokesperson said earlier this month: “Over the last six months, following the handover of the site from the liquidator, we have been working diligently to both clear and secure the Our Lady’s Abingdon site, as well as reflect on how best the site can be used moving forward.
“Meetings are ongoing about the site’s future, taking into account our obligations as a charity, and we are hopeful to be in a position to share more information in the early part of the summer.”
In November, Oxford West and Abingdon MP Layla Moran wrote to education secretary Bridget Phillipson, urging the Department for Education to do more to protect families affected by sudden school closures.
She said at the time: “Students, families and teachers were shocked by the sudden closure of Our Lady’s Abingdon over the summer holidays.
“I saw the distress it caused to pupils and parents, particularly those completing their GCSEs and A-Levels.
“I was pleased to see Oxfordshire County Council respond so quickly given the difficult circumstances and find school places for students.
“Going forwards, there must be earlier dialogue between the local authorities and schools to ensure that pupils and parents interests are the number one priority.”
Reacting to news that the school site is expected to go on the market in the near future, Ms Moran said: “The closure of Our Lady’s Abingdon was a real blow for the community.
“I would be delighted if the site were to continue as an educational institution to improve and expand access to education in the area.”
The Institute of Our Lady of Mercy, a Catholic order of nuns in Leeds, said last year it hoped to find a “charitable” use for the land and buildings.
The spokesman said at the time: “Our hope is that, when the time is right, we can find a use for this site that enables us to meet our charitable obligations for our beneficiaries.”
Now it appears the institute will sell the school buildings although it has declined to provide any details at this stage.
Founded in 1860 by the Sisters of Mercy, OLA was a small independent day school for pupils aged seven to 18.
The UK-based business ownership and management of OLA was transferred to the newly formed Our Lady’s Abingdon Trustees Limited in 2007.
To ensure that the buildings could continue to be used by the school, the institute entered into a 99-year lease arrangement with the limited company on terms that sought to secure the long-term future of Catholic education on the site.
Apart from the lease, the order’s only involvement with OLA was that a Sister was on the governing body up until 2022.
Oxford Stand Up To Racism has accused Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, of inciting the ‘awful violent scenes’ in Southampton on Tuesday night (June 2).
The city where 18-year-old Henry Nowak died and where his killer, Vickrum Digwa, lived became a scene of destruction after hundreds descended to smash car windows, hurl bricks and cause eleven officers and a police dog to be injured.
READ MORE: New date set for Tommy Robinson appearance in Oxford
Following the disorder, the chief of Hampshire police said those involved were ‘determined to spark fear and division’.
Yaxley-Lennon, who has been jailed multiple times for a variety of offences including when he was imprisoned in October 2024 for contempt of caught, addressed the crowd at the riot.
He said: “I heard someone say this wasn’t about race, this is about race.
“A white boy who done nothing was handcuffed, a murderer in possession of a knife who stabbed someone five times isn’t.”
Oxford Stand Up to Racism is now renewing its call for the Oxford Union to withdraw its invitation for the ‘riot agitator’ to speak on June 17 on the subject of Islam.
He was originally due to speak at the historic debating society on Thursday, May 28 before his appearance was postponed over security concerns and after massive backlash.
READ MORE: Major emergency response in Oxford as paramedics on scene
Ian McKendrick, a member of the anti-racism group, said: “Despite Henry Nowak’s family clearly requesting that his death should not be used to promote further hatred, Robinson was at the centre of protests in Southampton last night and clearly inciting violence.
“Giving him a televised platform at the Oxford Union legitimises hate and violence, and gives him the opportunity to incite violence to an audience of millions.
“It does not promote free speech – instead, it promotes fear and intimidation among minoritised communities.
“Already we have seen Oxford fascists alongside Robinson in Southampton and now mobilising to bring more hate onto Oxford’s streets.”
Members of Raise the Colours: Oxfordshire were called to attend the Southampton protest on Tuesday night, with the leader of the group posting on Facebook to ask followers to join the ‘justice for Henry Nowak’ protest.
Mr McKendrick added: “There is a concerted effort by far right leaders and fascist groups to incite outrage and bring people on to the streets to riot.
READ MORE: Traffic chaos in Witney amid report of ‘major incident’
“We risk an explosion of violence similar to what we saw around the Southport murders across the UK.
“We’re calling on Oxford to say a clear ‘no’ to this hate and division by protesting against Yaxley-Lennon’s appearance at the Oxford Union.”
Faith and civic leaders of Oxford already wrote to the Oxford Union asking it to rescind the controversial figure’s invitation, and hundreds have signed an open letter calling for the same.
A reported incident at a junction in Witney is causing traffic chaos in the town, with drivers coming off the A40 and elsewhere stuck in long queues.
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An incident occurred in St Aldate’s, outside the entrance to Christ Church Meadows, at about 4pm on Tuesday, June 2.
At least three ambulances were responding to what appeared to be a medical emergency on the pavement.
READ MORE: Oxfordshire footbridge over A-road a collapse risk for years
An individual was scene on a stretcher being cared for by paramedics.
An eyewitness said the incident occurred opposite the Alice Shop, and the medical teams ‘evacuated’ the person.
Apart from the pavement briefly being blocked while the first responders dealt with the emergency, it did not appear to affect traffic or block the road in busy St Aldate’s.
South Central Ambulance Service has been contacted for comment.
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