Three historic UK private schools close after combined 333 years

Among the Oxfordshire schools to have closed within the last 12 months is Carrdus School in Banbury, owned by leading girls’ school Tudor Hall.

Carrdus School, a preparatory school near Banbury, officially closed in July 2025, following a decision in December 2024 to shut down at the end of the summer term.

This was due to financial instability, driven by the government’s decision to introduce VAT on fees and increased employers’ National Insurance contributions.

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Our Lady’s Abingdon (Image: Our Lady’s Abingdon)

Another private school in the county which has permanently shut its doors in the past year is Our Lady’s Abingdon, which had been operating for 160 years.

The governors at Our Lady’s Abingdon said: “A range of economic pressures has led to this outcome, mainly the introduction of VAT on school fees, higher National Insurance contributions, the ending of business rates relief for independent schools, and rising operational costs.”

Rendcomb College, near Cirencester across the border from Oxfordshire, announced this year that it will permanently close this summer.

This will bring an end to a 106‑year history of educating day pupils and boarders in the heart of the Cotswolds.

The independent day and boarding school opened in 1920 and has around 380 pupils on its roll.

READ MORE: Cotswolds private school to close down after over 100 years

Rendcomb College in the Cotswolds will shut down after 100 years teaching (Image: Saffron Blaze / Wikimedia Commons)

It said that current and projected pupil numbers, combined with the economic climate facing fee‑paying schools, mean it is no longer financially viable.

In a statement, governors said they had “reluctantly” agreed the college must close at the end of the 2025‑26 academic year, after exploring “every other feasible option”, including potential mergers, alternative owners and additional sources of funding.

“Despite Rendcomb College’s extremely strong track record as a school, the reality is that current and projected pupil numbers, alongside the economic situation facing independent schools across the country, do not make the school financially viable in the future,” read the statement.

“It has therefore reluctantly been decided that the school will close at the end of the academic year.

“The staff and governors have done everything to make Rendcomb College an excellent school, and its closure is highly unfortunate but sadly unavoidable.

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“For many years, the college has benefited from significant funding from the Rendcomb College Foundation.

“Whilst this has made the operation of the college possible until now, the enormous increase in the deficit for the current year, and the anticipated financial picture for next year, mean that such support is unsustainable.

“This is a very sad decision to have taken and follows the exploration of every other feasible option, including mergers and other forms of funding.

“Our focus now will be on helping pupils find appropriate alternative provision and assisting our highly professional and dedicated staff to find posts elsewhere.”