The school site will be sold as pupils finish their final term – Inside Croydon

Education Correspondent GENE BRODIE on the latest move by the borough’s biggest landowners in the slow, death throes of one of Croydon’s best-known schools

The final bell on the last day of the school’s final year hasn’t rung yet, but the men (and women) of the Whitgift Foundation are already ushering out the remaining young pupils from Old Palace Preparatory School in South Croydon. , in their race to flog the site and try to plug the hole in the charity’s accounts.

End of term: the Melville Avenue Kindergarten and Prep School will soon close for the last time

The Whitgift Foundation is one of these private schools which is registered as a charity, even though it is really a multi-million private business as a property owner and developer.

Last September, the Foundation shocked even its Croydon unit when it announced it would close its £18,000-a-year girls’ school, both at its secondary site in Croydon Old Town, and the nursery and prep on the site of the former Croham Hurst. Melville Avenue School in South Croydon.

Originally, the plan was for the schools to close at the end of the 2025 school year. But as parents seeking a more stable education for their daughters elsewhere became a torrent late last year, the powers that be at the Whitgift Foundation have understood the nettle and have announced that the Melville Avenue site will close in July.

Courtesy Notice: today’s letter from the Whitgift Foundation

South Croydon ‘neighbours’ today received letters of advice from the Whitgift Foundation, which, more than six months after the retirement of its chief executive Martin Corney, has yet to appoint a permanent replacement.

Today’s letters were signed by Emily Boynton, the Foundation’s Head of HR and now “Interim CEO”.

“As you may be aware,” Boynton wrote, “the Preparatory School and Kindergarten at the Old Palace of John Whitgift School will close at the end of the summer term.

“I am writing to inform you that the Melville Avenue site will shortly be offered for sale on the open market.”

Inside Croydon reported last September: “Given the listed status of many of the Old Town’s historic upper school buildings, the Melville Avenue site in South Croydon, not far from Lloyd Park, appears to be an obvious development possibility to provide relief the foundation. affected finances.”

Boynton’s letter continues: “The process is being led by Knight Frank and is expected to take approximately 18 months.” This in itself seems unusual as the majority of the Foundation’s property portfolio is normally managed by Croydon estate agent Stiles Harold Williams.

Boynton wrote: “There should be minimal disruption to local residents during this process and we also want to assure you that once the school term ends, we will maintain a security presence on site and employ experts in the protection of the vacant property to ensure it remains safe. .”

As predicted, after falling into financial trouble through its relationship with the developers – Westfield – in Croydon town centre, the Whitgift Foundation is now hoping that the developers will buy the property to deal with the cash flow crisis.

Which means that while there “should be minimal disruption” immediately to Melville Road residents, it certainly won’t be long before the concrete mixers fly and construction traffic arrives to develop the site, including the playing field, potentially as blocks.

But why 18 months?

According to a local property professional, “It takes a while to sell standard residential properties, let alone former private schools with land that requires planning permission to build on.”

A former parent of an Old Palace pupil told Inside Croydon: “The Whitgift Foundation was always going to sell this site to fill the huge gap in its finances. It’s just a shame it’s come at the cost of girls’ education in Croydon.

“It is hard to believe that the Whitgift Foundation could not have sold one of their other assets, or even the playing field at Old Palace, to at least try to maintain the school.

“We hope that whoever builds on the land does so wisely.”

Read more: The Charity Commission has warned of problems at the Whitgift Foundation
Read more: Another Whitgift shock when the second director decides to quit
Read more: The foundation anticipates the closing of the preparation of the Old Palace by a year
Read more: Falling rolls and rising taxes: how Old Palace was squeezed

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