I was saddened to hear this Wednesday of the closure of one of our local independent schools, Highfield, part of the long-term network of provision for families in Maidenhead and the surrounding area. Highfield’s owners, Chatsworth Schools, have made it clear that the combination of declining school roll, imposition of the new tax of VAT on school tuition fees and the increase in employer contributions to National Insurance have been the cause of the closure. Chatsworth schools have asked us to provide support where we can, and of course, we will do our level best to support those children and parents as they seek a suitable next step for their education.

I chose the quote by André Gide, possibly the greatest French writer of the 20th century, because it seemed so apt in the current circumstances. When new governments enter power, as the Labour Party did last Summer, they have the opportunity to deliver their mandate to the electorate, but they also do bear the responsibility for the wellbeing of all children concerned, specifically of course because they are from where our future wealth and prosperity are going to arise. I have been representing the voice of our sector as strongly as I can, in person in parliament, in writing, canvassing and even most recently via video on X. Whilst there seems great strength in the arguments we have given about the inappropriate speed and longer-term unfairness of this tax, it is clear that political dogma is to rule.

As last week’s post makes clear, and the publication of our own community questionnaire to parents and guardians early next week enables further, I do accept that we have to get on with the new ‘réalité’. But that’s not to say we should lose empathy for those caught up in the ‘blight’ that government policy is causing in our sector, and Maidenhead as a town is all the poorer for the closure of a school that’s been here a century. And we as its neighbour will do all we can to make real for its girls, should they join us, their school’s motto “Empower. Discover. Succeed”.