Milton Keynes school praised for 'excellent behaviour' of pupils shuts down completely after financial struggles

A Milton Keynes private school has closed down following a difficult couple of years.

The Grove Independent School in Loughton opened in 1989, taking children from the age of three months to 13 and providing complete wrap-around care for parents who work full-time.

It closed on December 8, according to the government’s school information page, and failed to open for its 200 plus pupils for the new term this month.

Problems began in May 2022 when the school, run by 67-year-old Mrs Deborah Berkin, was given a long list of improvements to make following a visit from the government-appointed Independent Schools Inspectorate.

Inspectors said it failed to meet required standards in aspects concerning pupil’s welfare, health and safety and also its overall quality of leadership and management.

The school’s Early Years Foundation, a nursery section with 109 children from the age of three, was deemed “inadequate” in its overall effectiveness, with its quality of education requiring improvement.

Further requirements involving the standard of the school’s premises and accommodation were also not met, along with standards for providing information and handling complaints.

However, the inspectors, who are appointed by the Department for Education to check independent schools, praised the behaviour and attitude of The Grove pupils, saying: “Children demonstrate excellent behaviour and show great respect for one another.”

The Redland Drive school worked on the improvements and operated without hiccups until May last year, when public records from the The Gazette show it was granted an official Liquidation Moratorium.

This is used in insolvency cases to give a company breathing space ringfence, freezing any ongoing legal action and preventing creditors from beginning new proceedings. It is designed to give struggling businesses time to can explore any rescue or restructuring options.

The school was run by a limited company called The Grove Independent School Ltd and Mrs Berkin was the sole director until February last year, when 37-year-old Henry Berkin was appointed.

The company’s last accounts, from 2021, show £839,771 of assets and £1,647,654 in creditors falling due within one year.

Six weeks ago, on November 28 2023, a First Gazette notice appeared, published by Companies House, stating the company would be struck off the register and dissolved on January 28 2024 unless cause was shown to the contrary.

But the following day, November 29, there was a second notice, stating the compulsory strike off action had been discontinued. It read: “Cause has been shown why this company should not be struck off the Register and accordingly the Registrar is taking no further action...”

The premises are now empty and The Citizen’s repeated attempts to call or email the school have failed.

However, despite the closure, the school’s website and Facebook page are still up and running.

Companies House records this week show the company is still active but its accounts are marked as overdue.

The Grove provided full and part time places in its nursery for children aged from three months to three years. It had a Foundation Department up to year 8 where pupils could take their 13+ Common Entrance examination for Independent Secondary Schools or the 11+ exam to gain a place in a grammar School.