‘Appalling’ closure of 135-year-old English school DURING October half-term sparks outrage

Comment now Next THE sudden closure of a 135-year-old English school has sparked outrage among staff and parents. The move has been branded as “appalling” with “little notice” being given to those involved. Leweston School in Dorset has closed over the October half-term and will not reopen Credit: Unknown Leweston School confirmed the shock closure, announcing that its doors would not be reopening after the October half-term. Advertisement Based in Sherborne, Dorset , the school apologised for the “little notice” given to staff, pupils and parents in a move that left around 600 students with nowhere to return to after the break.

Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Email address Please provide a valid email. Your info will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy You'll now receive top stories, breaking news, and more, straight to your email. Pupils have now been told they will be offered a place at schools in the Inspired Learning Group, including Clayesmore School (around 19 miles away) and Sunninghill Prep (around 17 miles away). Staff have also been told they will “not be paid” for the month of October and fees will “not be refunded”.

Read more in news FINAL BELL One of UK's smallest schools with only 8 pupils set to close after 100 years CLASS CLOWN New 30ft 'KEEP CLEAR' lines painted outside school… 10 years after it shut The school’s website displays the following message: “Leweston School will not reopen after half term, and will close. “Every Leweston pupil has been offered a place from Monday 2 November at a school in the Inspired Learning Group, which includes Clayesmore School and Sunninghill Prep.

“We are very sorry for what this means for our pupils, their families and our staff, and for how little notice we have been able to give. Families and staff have been contacted directly.” At this time, the website does not detail a reason for the closure, however, the BBC reported that it has boiled down to financial pressures, cited in a letter sent to staff. Most read in The Sun CRUEL STUNT Hedgehog 'screams itself to death' after yobs paint it blue 'for Sonic' UP IN FLAMES Fire rips through hotel near Everest camp as Brit says ‘no one can rescue us’ 'ATTACK' PROBE Woman 'sexually assaulted' by 'smelly' attacker as she took pics of the moon 'DIRTY WORK' Christa Pike death row doctor 'compares himself to Jesus' in 1st interview Leweston’s former head of physics, Robert Nejako, told the BBC : “I literally got an email with a screen cap [capture] of a letter that wasn’t even on letterhead.

Advertisement “It was poorly written, misspelled, all of it. Shambles doesn’t begin to describe what this was.” The letter came from Concept Education, whose subsidiary purchased the school in December 2025. It came with an apology from Concept Education chief executive Hugh Dickinson and cited a “cash shortfall caused by falling pupil numbers”, reported the BBC. It also listed other causes for financial pressures, including higher employment costs, the loss of business rates relief, lower numbers of boarders and Labour’s introduction of 10% VAT on private school fees .

Edward Morello, MP for West Dorset, called the closure a “shock and a travesty”, and confirmed in a social media post that the council is working to help ensure places for pupils in local schools. Advertisement Conservative MP for North Dorset, Simon Hoare, said they are also working to support any families living in North Dorset who may be affected by the closure. In a post to Facebook, he wrote: “I am increasingly concerned to hear that prepaid fees will not be refunded and that staff have not been paid.”

Dorset Council has said it is “working urgently” to support those affected by the closure. Other private schools have reached out to parents offering places for pupils. A crowdfunding page has been set up by the parents of Leweston School in efforts to raise money for staff after it was announced their wages would not be paid this month. Advertisement RECOMMENDED STORIES Comments have been pouring in under social media posts surrounding the news, with the closure branded as “appalling”.

The Sun has reached out to Concept Education for comment. Comment now