Christian school closures are ‘heartbreaking’

The closure of two Christian private schools in Scotland has been branded “sad” and “heartbreaking”.

Kilgraston in Perthshire, Scotland’s only Catholic boarding school, said it was closing with immediate effect, citing “the possible impact of VAT on school fees”. A “short- and long-term funding deficit”, and the collapse of a planned sale also contributed to the choice. 

In Greenock, Cedars Christian school is to shut at the top of September after 25 years within the west Scotland town. It also cited concerns over Labour’s VAT plans in a letter to folks. 

The chair of the varsity board, Jennifer Offord, announced: “We are deeply saddened to report that Cedars will close on Friday, September 27, after 25 years offering a caring and Christian education to children in Inverclyde and the encircling areas.

“Our thoughts and prayers are first for our pupils, parents, staff and volunteers but additionally our friends and supporters, who’ve faithfully and sacrificially given to maintain the varsity operating over a few years.”

Both schools are closing down despite valiant fundraising efforts to save lots of them. They are actively searching for to position current pupils in other local schools.

A spokesperson for Cedars told The Telegraph newspaper that the timing of the VAT increase was “really unhelpful”.

Niel Deepnarain, head of Unite for Education, a Scotland-based Christian education charity, said he was “very sad” in regards to the state of the education system and the impact of the VAT changes on Christian schools. 

“Cedars school has provided a wonderful education over a few years with consistently high attainment levels and native children will now be worse off consequently,” he said. 

“Children across Scotland are faced with increased indoctrination within the classroom, so the necessity for Christian education has never been greater.

“We at Unite for Education desire to see every child gaining access to Christ-centred education and the closure of Cedars means children in Inverclyde have lost their only Christian school.

“It is evident that the choice of the brand new Labour government to impose VAT on school fees from January has been one burden too many for families already facing high living costs.”

Mr Deepnarain said he had been in contact with the varsity to take a look at ways by which a Christ-centred education can proceed to be offered to children within the Inverclyde area, and the way other independent Christian schools might be supported to stop their closure. 

He is looking on the Church “to wake as much as the fact of the challenges we face in society and arise together to step up and once more lead from the front by funding Christian education to make sure money is not any barrier to children receiving a very good education”.

“We will proceed to work with existing schools, home educators and organisations to develop and increase the needed provision of Christian education in Scotland,” he said.

“The need is great and the fee of doing nothing is just too great. We must get up and take motion now for the sake of the youngsters.”