A REIGATE school has been saved from closure following a tumultuous week for those fighting to keep it open.
United Learning took over the school yesterday (Friday), weeks after the governors said it may have to close due to dwindling pupil numbers. The charity, which runs 50 schools nationally, has committed to run it for at least 10 years, and admit boys in some years to boost applications and finances.
The Mirror understands the chairman of governors has resigned, although the school has not confirmed that. It follows a rollercoaster seven days. Last week, the governors, many of whom were governors on the Reigate Grammar School (RGS) board before also joining the Dunottar board when the two schools partially merged last year, said they were entering discussions with United Learning.
But on Wednesday, the governors told the Mirror that the board needed to consider three other "applicants" who had also expressed an interest in taking over Dunottar, and a decision would not be made until March 13. Dunottar Voice, the parent action group set up to save the school, was told United Learning could not attend an open day on Wednesday, or hold a parent meeting at the school on Thursday.
We now understand chairman of governors Alan Walker has resigned his Dunottar role and been replaced by Nicholas Pinks, who was chairman of governors at Dunottar before the merger with RGS. Yesterday the board performed a dramatic U-turn and agreed a contract with United Learning.
The governors said in a statement yesterday: "We are delighted to announce that, following extensive discussions with our lawyers and full consideration of the options available for the future of Dunottar, the Dunottar School Foundation has now entered into a contract with United Learning. United Learning have agreed to take over the running of Dunottar School as a co-educational establishment for age range 11 to 18 and have undertaken to run the school at least until the end of the Summer Term 2024. They have also committed to invest in the development of the school site for the benefit of current and future pupils."
In a letter to prospective parents, chief executive of United Learning Jon Coles said the school was now safe. He wrote: "As part of the transfer, we have made legal commitments to run the school for at least the next ten years. In fact, of course, we are confident that it will rapidly become a popular and over-subscribed school, all thought of past threats will vanish quickly and the school will continue to develop and succeed for the next 87 years."
He confirmed the school will remain on its current High Trees Road site, as an independent, co-educational, fee-paying school.
"In becoming co-educational, the school will begin to take boys as well as girls into years 7, 9 and 12 from September," he added. "We will work with staff and pupils to make this transition seamless and straightforward. The school has an excellent staff, who are doing a great job – the school has unusually good 'value added' – in other words, pupils make much better progress at Dunottar than the average across the country. I am very confident that they will make this transition a success."
A parent member of Dunottar Voice said she was delighted the 87-year-old school had been saved from extinction.
"It has been an amazing few weeks," she said. "The school was definitely shutting, then we had definitely saved it, then we hadn't, and now this.
"This isn't a property deal; it is about our children. A lot of them are going through A levels or GCSEs and there have been a lot of tears and upset."
