Fulneck School closure raised in Parliament

Yorkshire Post

Leeds peer Lord Caine has told the House of Lords of his sadness following the news that Fulneck School in Pudsey is to close.     Speaking in a debate on Thursday afternoon, he reminded the House that the school had been established in 1753, during the reign of King George II, but will now shut its doors for the final time in July.     “Fulneck, for those who do not know, is famous for educating, among others, the great Liberal Prime Minister Herbert Asquith and the late great Dame Diana Rigg—otherwise known to some as Mrs Peel—along with a very close friend of mine, who was absolutely devastated to hear the news this morning,” he said.     “Fulneck is part of a Moravian settlement in Pudsey, which includes a grade 1 listed church and many other listed buildings. It is a unique part of the heritage of Leeds and the broader West Riding of Yorkshire, a large part of which will now be lost forever.”     The Conservative peer, who was born in Leeds and continues to live in the city, said he would not argue that the imposition of VAT was the only reason for the closure of the school.

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00:00I rise very briefly to support the amendment in the name of my noble friend, Baroness Barron.

00:09I have not taken part in any of the debates around independent schools in your Lordships'

00:14House, and for the record I am entirely the product of a state education system in the

00:19east of Leeds, but I have been prompted to get to my feet today on the back of the very

00:26sad news that was announced yesterday of the closure of Falkneck School in Pudsey in

00:32Leeds, which was established in 1753 during the reign of King George II, and will now

00:40close its doors for the final time in July. Falkneck, for those who don't know, is famous

00:47for educating, amongst others, the great Liberal Prime Minister, Herbert Asquith, and also

00:54the late Dame Diana Rigg, otherwise known to some as Mrs Peel, as well as a very close

01:02friend of mine who was absolutely devastated to hear the news this morning. Falkneck is

01:10part of a Moravian settlement in Pudsey, which also includes a grade 1 listed church and

01:17many other grade 1 listed buildings. It is a unique part of the heritage of Leeds and

01:23the broader west riding of Yorkshire, a large part of which will now be lost forever.

01:30I will not argue that the imposition of VAT is the only reason for the closure of this

01:36school. In fact, the school's own statement refers to problems in recent years of falling

01:41numbers, but the statement also points to significantly rising administrative costs.

01:49The broader point is that for a large number of small independent schools across the country

01:56that have been struggling to keep their heads above water, the imposition of VAT and increased

02:04employer national insurance are the policies that will sink many of those who have struggled

02:10to keep their heads above water in recent years. As a result of the closure, 300 or

02:18so pupils and students will now have to be educated elsewhere within the locality. Most

02:26presumably will have to find places within the state sector. I note that the school lies

02:32within the parliamentary constituency of Leeds West and Pudsey, which is represented by the

02:37Chancellor of the Exchequer. I support my noble friend.

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