Mount St Mary's Barlborough Hall: Urgent plea for '£300,000 by 5pm today' in bid to save schools from closure
An urgent plea for £300,000 by ‘5pm today’ has been issued in a bid to save two schools from closure.
As many as 600 local children have been left in limbo over where they will go to school in September following the recent shock announcement that Mount St Mary’s College and Barlborough Hall in Spinkhill are set to close.
It comes as company accounts show MSM has been running at a loss for as many as 15 years, draining its available funds from £16.8m in 2009 to £3.2m in 2023.
The independent Catholic schools, which together offer both day and boarding school for children aged 3 to 18, said last week despite “generous loans” worth £3m in recent years, have “no realistic path” to solve debt problems and must shut immediately.
Now, parents have mounted a last ditch effort to save the schools in time for September through a crowdfunding campaign - with a target goal of £1m.
‘Save Mount St Mary's College & Barlborough Hall School’ is asking for £800k-£1m to “urgently to stabilise” the schools and carry them over the line into September, when the income from Autumn term fees can arrive.
But before that, their initial goal is £300,000 to pay staff salaries and debts to HMRC, which is needed by 5pm this afternoon (Tuesday, August 5).
At time of writing (11am, August 5), the page had raised £267,000 in less than 24 hours, with £70,000 coming from just six donations.
“We have met with some of the governors and the finance team at the Mount and we believe there is a clear path forward to place the school on a stronger and more sustainable financial footing,” writes organiser Jessica Penny as a representative of the ‘Parents Actions Team.’
“The school is not yet in administration and it is therefore within our gift to manage the existing position, however we have to move quickly.
“From what we have seen, unfortunately the only way to get through the short-term issue is to raise the cash required.
“I appreciate this this is unpalatable, and we like you did not expect to be in this position.
“Salaries and payments to HMRC are due immediately. We have until Tuesday 5pm to raise the necessary funds.”
It comes as at least 18 independent schools in Britain have announced they will shut this year.
Since the announcement, much anger has been directed at Keir Starmer’s Government for “killing” the schools by ending VAT exemption for their tuition fees in late 2024, meaning parents now pay the standard 20 per cent rate on for tuition.
However, in a lengthy and emotional statement on the school’s website’s, Mount St Mary’s and Barlborough Hall’s chair of Governors, Shaun Whyman, said troubles began in 2015, and seemed to treat “the addition of VAT on school fees and the removal of business rates relief for independent schools” as the final nail in the coffin.
Accounts for Mount St Mary’s College filed on Companies House show how the school’s readily available cash has declined from £16.8m in 2009 to £3.2m in 2023. Accounts for 2024 and 2025 have not yet been filed.
The GoFundMe page addresses that parents may have “concerns about the past governance of the school” and claims governors are willing to step aside if and when the school is “saved.”
“While changing the board of governors is not straightforward, many current governors have expressed a willingness to step aside in due course, but this will not be possible by Tuesday,” the page reads.
“To confirm, no monies will be used unless we believe there is a clear plan going forward and the school has a bright future.
“The school has an opportunity to thrive, but we need time. Your support can make the difference.”
The Star has contacted Mount St Mary’s and Barlborough Hall for comment and received no reply.