A preparatory school in Sussex- which counted Boris Johnson among its former pupils - will close permanently.
Ashdown House Preparatory School in Forest Row has buckled under the financial pressure caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The 180-year-old school, which charges boarders up to £9,500 a term, has told parents the closure is down to a decline in the number of international boarders and fewer parents taking up places in the next academic year.
Tom Beardmore-Gray, chief executive of the Cothill Trust, which runs the school, said: “It is with an incredibly heavy heart that the trustees have come to the decision that closing the school is the only remaining option.”
The school was at the child abuse inquiry, well before the Cothill Trust took control.
Martin Haigh, who taught science in the 1970s, was jailed for 12 years in 2017 for indecent assault and gross indecency. He then went on to teach at the former Chaucer Technology School in Canterbury.
Nus Ghani, the MP for Wealden said: “It is always sad to see a good local school close, especially one with such a long and rich local history.
“The challenges of managing Covid-19 has put a strain on a number of businesses including the private school sector and the closure of Ashdown House Preparatory School will have an added impact on uncertainty for local parents”.
The school was previously attended by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his sister Rachel.
Mr Beardmore-Gray confirmed that staff and the families of the school’s existing pupils have been informed, with the school now putting in place a comprehensive programme of support, guidance and consultation to help Ashdown’s community.
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