Anger Over Proposed Closure of School in Chiswick

Parents at Falcons Pre-Prep given less than a term's notice of plan

Falcons Pre-prep School at Burnaby Gardens

September 24, 2023

Parents of boys at the Falcons Pre-Preparatory School in Grove Park have reacted at fury at plans to close the school.

They were informed just a few days into the current term that the owners are launching a consultation about shutting the school in December.

The school currently is being operated by Alpha Plus a company owned by property investor Sir John Ritblat, who founded British Land, but is in the process of being sold to multinational education provider Inspired Education. It is not clear which party to the transaction initiated the planned sale of the Chiswick site on Burnaby Gardens.

The letter informing parents of the decision was sent to the sixty families with children at the school on 7 September, the second day of term. It came from the Alpha Plus group, which runs seventeen other schools and colleges across London and did not give details of what other options were being considered and, thus far, Alpha Plus has refused to meet with parents.

On the same day, all 30 staff received notice that they were subject to possible redundancy.

Parents at the school believe a December closure would be in breach of contract to give a full terms’ notice and they are looking at taking separate legal action with a view to forcing the school to remain open until the end of the academic year which would allow them to plan alternative provision for their children.

Places have been offered at Alpha Plus school in Putney and Fulham, but the majority of parents intend to reject this option. Alpha Plus has also offered to provide a bus for nursery aged children to alternative sites.

Falcons Preparatory School is part of Alpha Plus Group Ltd, a group of schools and colleges owned by Alpha Plus Holdings plc of which Sir John Ritblat is the chairman. This company is in turn is owned by investment fund DV4 Holdings Alpha Plus Co. Limited and Delancey (based in the BVI). The physical asset of the school is owned by 2 Burnaby Gardens Ltd.

On 14 June 2023, parents were informed that DV4 had exchanged conditional contracts for the sale of Alpha Plus Holdings plc to the Inspired Education Group. Inspired Education is controlled by its founder, Nadim M Nsouli, who is its Chief Executive and Chairman. This takeover has not yet been completed pending regulatory approval. Inspired Education recently took over Wetherby, the school attended by Princes Harry and William as well as Hugh Grant.

In response to questions around who would be taking the ultimate decision on the possible closure of the school, parents were informed on 8 September by the Deputy Chief Executive of Alpha Plus Group that the final decision would be taken by Inspired Schools, despite the latter having not yet completed its transaction.

Company ownership of 2 Burnaby Gardens Ltd changed hands from Alpha Plus to DV4 (the parent company) on 29 August 2023 to include two new Directors with registered addresses in Bermuda and the British Virgin islands. The Directors previously involved with 2 Burnaby Gardens Ltd, from Alpha Plus, resigned collectively on the same day.

The parents have contacted Ruth Cadbury MP, the Education Secretary and to the Markets and Competition Authority asking them to investigate transaction including the possibility of unlawful pre-merger co-ordination between the parties to a transaction. It is alleged that Inspired Education has a track record of requiring schools to be closed prior to taking over other education changes.

Parents at the school have issued a statement saying, “This is an egregious example of corporate greed. It is scandalous that children have been given a matter of weeks to find new schools, which is causing huge anxiety and upset. We are calling for a full investigation by the regulator into these two companies and for the Education Secretary to instruct the school to remain open until the end of the academic year. It’s also clear that the independent school sector clearly cannot regulate itself and act in a fit and proper manner. So that this doesn’t happen elsewhere, the government needs to introduce clear legislative safeguards to better protect children in cases like this. Education should not be treated as just another commodity. We would say to anyone thinking of sending their child to an Inspired Education or Alpha Plus school - don’t. It’s clear that they are simply interested in maximising profit over the well-being and education of children.”

Ruth Cadbury, Labour MP for Brentford and Isleworth, said, “I was extremely concerned to hear that my constituents and parents across west London face the risk of seeing a popular and well-loved school closing at such short notice.

“I am very disappointed that it appears that there has not been proper and thorough engagement with either parents, school staff and the local authority about this proposed closure, and the huge impact it would have on our community.

“I will be writing to the school as a matter of urgency to raise this matter and to ask a series of important questions.’’

Mark Hanley-Browne, the chief executive of Alpha Plus claimed that the decision to close the school was down to falling enrolment with just 62 pupils around a third of the school’s capacity.

He added, “Although the school is undoubtedly much loved by those parents whose children are attending the school, not enough parents in the Chiswick area have been choosing this school.

“It’s important to stress that the consultation is ongoing and that we are listening carefully to the views of parents and staff.

“We have made not one but two proposals of alternative schools, with a free bus service running between Chiswick and Putney or Fulham. Furthermore, we committed to providing guaranteed places at other Alpha Plus schools in London, should the school be closed, although to be clear no decision has been taken thus far.”

An Inspired Education spokesman said, “While we appreciate that this will be an unsettling time for the school, it is important to clarify that Inspired has yet to take ownership of any Alpha Plus schools and that there are absolutely no conditions in the transaction that involve the closure of any schools.

“Irrespective of ownership, our concern is that the proper legal process is followed and the wellbeing of all individuals involved.”

Sir John Ritblat said, “As chairman of Alpha Plus I am, along with the rest of the board, of course saddened that pupils and parents have been caused distress by the consultation on a potential closure of this much-loved school.

“It is always a very difficult decision to consider closing a school, particularly for a company such as Alpha Plus which has always prided itself on a commitment to only the very best in education and welfare standards, and to giving every child in its care the best possible start in life.

“I hope parents will understand that we took the decision to launch the consultation because a school with around 60 children in it, from age two to seven, is potentially no longer educationally viable.

“We have followed procedures, and the decision to consult categorically has nothing to do with any other outside factors.

“The decision to launch this consultation arises simply because there are just not enough pupils signing up to the school, given the competition in the local area.”