The Education Not Taxation campaign is documenting the effects of the Government’s tax on education.
As of 4 September 2026, 136 mainstream independent schools have closed or announced closure, or have merged or amalgamated with other schools. These are schools in England, Scotland and Wales.
This is based on Department for Education data and public announcements. Note that Government calculations on independent schools include independent special schools, which teach young people with highly specialised education needs and are not affected by the Government’s education tax.
These schools are named below. If you know of any others, please let us know.
Closed Schools (102 schools)
| Local Authority | School Name |
| Camden | The Village School |
| Westminster | Portland Place School |
| Westminster | St John’s Wood Pre-Preparatory School |
| Westminster | Abercorn School |
| Bromley | Bishop Challoner School |
| Croydon | Old Palace of John Whitgift School |
| Wandsworth | Falcons School |
| Haringey | North London Rudolf Steiner School |
| Hounslow | Ashton House School |
| Kingston upon Thames | The Study School |
| Merton | Ursuline Preparatory School |
| Redbridge | The Ursuline Prep School Ilford |
| Leeds | Moorlands School |
| Leeds | Fulneck School |
| Wakefield | Wakefield independent sch |
| Bristol, City of | Gracefield Preparatory School |
| Bristol, City of | Bristol Waldorf School |
| North Somerset | Fairfield PNEU School |
| Reading | Hemdean House School |
| Windsor and Maidenhead | Highfield Preparatory School Limited |
| West Berkshire | Padworth College |
| Derbyshire | Mount St Mary’s College |
| Derbyshire | Barlborough Hall School |
| Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | Talbot House School |
| Essex | Braeside School |
| Essex | Oxford House School |
| Hampshire | Alton School |
| Hertfordshire | St Hilda’s School |
| Kent | Chartfield School |
| Medway | Bryony School |
| Lancashire | St Joseph’s Park Hill School |
| Leicestershire | Loughborough Amherst School |
| Lincolnshire | Dudley House School |
| Norfolk | Downham Preparatory School and Montessori Nursery |
| North Yorkshire | Queen Margaret’s School |
| West Northamptonshire | Maidwell Hall |
| West Northamptonshire | Carrdus School |
| Nottingham | Iona School |
| Oxfordshire | Our Lady’s Abingdon |
| Shropshire | Bedstone College |
| Stoke-on-Trent | St Joseph’s Preparatory School |
| Staffordshire | Chase Grammar School |
| Suffolk | Brookes UK |
| Surrey | The Royal School |
| Surrey | Woodcote House School |
| Surrey | Shrewsbury House Pre Preparatory School |
| West Sussex | Conifers School |
| Hampshire | Kingscourt School |
| Staffordshire | Chase Grammar School International Study Centre |
| Brighton and Hove | Brighton & Hove Montessori School |
| Croydon | Cambridge Tutors College |
| Barnet | Nancy Reuben Primary School |
| Enfield | Phoenix Academy |
| Hounslow | Oak Heights Independent School |
| Wiltshire | Bishopstrow College |
| Suffolk | The Meadows Montessori School |
| Lincolnshire | St George’s Preparatory School & Little Dragons Preschool |
| Liverpool | Assess Education |
| Merton | The London Acorn School |
| Lancashire | Prospect House |
| Oxfordshire | Oxford Sixth Form College |
| Sheffield | Luqman Academy |
| Lancashire | Austen House |
| Medway | The GFC School |
| Brent | Advance Education |
| Calderdale | Nightingale House School |
| Barking and Dagenham | Alamiyah School |
| Shropshire | The Prepatoria School |
| Tameside | Lawrence House |
| Gateshead | Tashbar Boys Nursery |
| Cheshire East | Norbury Court School |
| Rotherham | Ellern Mede Moorgate School |
| Wigan | Progress Schools – Lilford Centre |
| Wirral | LIFE Wirral Sports School |
| Barking and Dagenham | Frobel Independent School |
| Dudley | The King Alfred School |
| Stoke-on-Trent | Want2Achieve The Academy |
| Birmingham | Edgbaston College |
| Kingston upon Thames | Park Hill School |
| Bury | Prestwich Preparatory School |
| West Northamptonshire | St Andrew’s College |
| Reading | Trinity Christian School |
| Solihull | Ruckleigh School |
| Bromley | Kings London |
| Waltham Forest | Walthamstow Montessori School |
| Camden | Heathside Preparatory School |
| Wirral | Prenton Preparatory School |
| Reading | St Joseph’s College |
| Devon | St Wilfrid’s School |
| County Durham | Durham High School |
| Essex | Woodlands School |
| Gloucestershire | Rendcomb College |
| Hampshire | Horris Hill School |
| Hampshire | Moyles Court School |
| Suffolk | Stoke College |
| Haringey | Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation |
| Wigan | Progress Schools Wigan |
| Cambridgeshire | Cambridge International School |
| Leeds | Southway Independent School |
| Surrey | Longacre School |
| West Sussex | Sompting Abbotts School |
| Redbridge | Avon House Preparatory School |
Amalgamation/Merger (8 schools)
| Local Authority | School Name |
| Ealing | Orchard House School |
| Sefton | Merchant Taylors’ Girls’ School |
| Dorset | Clayesmore Preparatory School |
| Herefordshire, County of | Hereford Cathedral Junior School |
| Kent | Marlborough House Vinehall School |
| Telford and Wrekin | The Old Hall School |
| Croydon | The Cedars School |
| Derbyshire | OneSchool Global Uk Nottingham Campus |
Other (3 schools)
| Local Authority | School Name |
| Oxfordshire | Carfax College |
| Brighton and Hove | South England International School |
| Brighton and Hove | Drive Preparatory School |
Scotland/Wales School Closures (9 schools)
| Local Authority | School Name |
| Perthshire | Kilgraston School |
| Inverclyde | Cedars School |
| Lanarkshire | Fernhill School |
| Bridge of Allan | Fairview International School |
| Forres | Drumduan |
| Porthcawl | St Clare’s School |
| Swansea | Oakleigh House |
| Bangor | St Gerard’s |
| Ruthin | Ruthin School |
Closing Announced (14 schools)
| Local Authority | School Name |
| Kent | St Lawrence College Junior School |
| Luton | King’s House Moorlands |
| Stockport | Brabyns Preparatory School |
| Staffordshire | Edenhurst Preparatory School |
| Enfield | Palmers Green High School |
| Kent | St Lawrence College |
| Cheshire East | Alderley Edge School for Girls |
| Norfolk | Thetford Grammar School |
| Worcestershire | Malvern St James |
| Worcestershire | St Michael Abbey School |
| Derbyshire | Abbotsholme School |
| West Northamptonshire | Pitsford School |
| Cumberland | Lime House School |
| Liverpool and Sefton | Belvedere Preparatory School |
Education Not Taxation 