The new owners of a Huddersfield school which faced possible closure earlier this year have pledged to make it a success.
Mount School at Edgerton, was under threat after its directors warned parents in May that falling pupil numbers meant it was planned not to reopen the school in September following the summer holidays.
But they also said they were “committed to exploring ways in which the school could be kept open in the next academic year and beyond” and last month announced the sale of the preparatory school to Natalie and Christopher Sellers, who run a private tuition business in Halifax.
The couple have now spoken about their plans for the school. They also revealed a special reason for stepping in to save it – their daughters Scarlett, six, and Amelie (correct), four, are among its 91 pupils.
Christopher said he was confident that the school has an excellent future and he revealed they had been inundated with messages of support and offers of help to secure the long-term future of the school.
Natalie said: “Parents, staff and all who are connected with the school can rest assured that The Mount will continue in its time honoured tradition.
“We have a vested interest because our two daughters attend the school and we chose The Mount because it has an educational and social ethos that enables all its students to succeed both educationally and emotionally. It offers the complete experience we were looking for.
“Our children’s education and well-being are paramount and we know from speaking to parents of children at the school that they feel the same. This is such a special place we just could not let it disappear.”
Christopher added: “The Mount School has a 67-year history of providing first class education for the children of Huddersfield and the surrounding areas. It is a fantastic school that provides an educational experience that is second to none and is something of a hidden jewel which is part of its problem; it has been hidden for too long and we aim to put that right.”
Announcing the sale last month, the outgoing directors said the new owners had shown “a drive and determination” not to let any obstacle stand in their way”. The school at Binham Road, which caters for three to 11-year-old boys and girls, was rated “good” in its last inspection by Ofsted in February, 2016.
