St Lawrence College in Ramsgate is undertaking a review of operations and staffing to identify cost-savings, which could include redundancies.
The school, which has been operating in Thanet for some 140 years, has suffered a financial blow due to the impact of Covid-19.
Staff have been notified by email this week. It is understood the review will apply to all departments within the school, including teaching staff, but boarding support staff, maintenance, laundry and catering.
Chairman of governors Mike Bolton said: “Throughout the COVID-19 situation, St Lawrence College has adapted its learning provision to provide excellent online learning platforms for both our Senior and Junior School pupils, as well as providing keyworker schooling and, most recently the re-opening of the Junior School to Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils.
“I am extremely grateful to all staff who have worked so hard to get us through this extremely difficult period and for the huge support we have had from pupils and parents.
“Subject to government guidance and future developments regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, we are working towards opening the college as normal for all year groups from September and we look forward to welcoming our pupils back again.
“St Lawrence College has been a thriving school in the heart of Thanet for 140 years, and the governors and executive are working extremely hard to secure the future of the college for our pupils and families.
“However, like many organisations, it is inevitable that the COVID-19 situation has had a detrimental impact on the college finances, and therefore it is necessary that we now undertake a thorough review of our operations and staffing to identify cost-savings, which sadly could include some redundancies.
“I appreciate this is a very unsettling time for our staff and we will be consulting with them throughout this process to try to find ways to minimise redundancies where possible.”
The school has both UK resident pupils and overseas boarders. It celebrated its 140th anniversary last year.
St Lawrence College is an outstanding school in a lovely setting with wonderful staff in all areas the gardening, maintenance, catering, boarding, admin, and teaching staff all do an excellent job for the benefit of the children to become polite helpful caring members of society. I hope none of the staff need to be made redundant.
Before the comments pour in about Elitest etc can I just say for EVERY place paid for privately it means the School can offer supported places to Children who might otherwise have never reached their true potential in our society. Before I am beaten to bits I didn’t pass the 11+ but those who did gave us the inspiration to work harder whilst we had the chance. Mine was going to evening classes to get qualifications and a follow my dreams.
It has had a massive staff turnover in the past three years including every single one of the senior management team leaving! So many long serving teachers have left, maybe also due to redundancies, who knows.. There were already plans to sell off all the land on the other side of College Road to raise funds. Good school – or it was when my children went there – but not sure how it can stay around for much longer.