One of country's oldest schools to close this year
BBCOne of the country's oldest schools is to close at the end of this academic year.
Thetford Grammar in Norfolk counts Thomas Paine, an English-born American Founding Father, as a former pupil.
The private day and boarding school has blamed a number of financial challenges for the decision to close, including the introduction of VAT on fees.
Headteacher Amanda Faye said: "The cumulative impact of the 20% VAT tariff on school fees, the removal of business rates relief, increased employer pension contributions, and the rising of the minimum wage and operating costs has placed an unsustainable pressure on the school."
The Treasury defended the introduction of VAT on fees, stating that "ending tax breaks for private schools will raise £1.8bn a year by 2029/30".
The school dates back to AD 631 when it was thought to serve Sigebert, King of the East Angles, providing a school for his court.
The school was sold to a Hong Kong‑registered company called China Financial Services Holdings in 2017.
Thetford Grammar charges fees of £32,000 a year and recorded a cumulative loss of £2.3m in its latest financial accounts.
Pupil numbers have fallen from 221 at the time of the takeover to 179 at its last inspection in December 2025.
A letter sent to parents, written by Jay Liu "on behalf of the board" and seen by the BBC, suggested the school would now seek to merge with Finborough School in Stowmarket.
Izzi Basey-Fisher, a student at the school's sixth form, said the announcement on Tuesday was unexpected.
"We've got an incredible school with an incredible history and a lot of children go here because their parents went to the school," she said.
She added that parents and pupils were frustrated that the owners were not responding to questions about the closure.
Sarah Cunnane, from the Independent Schools Council, which represents 65% of the fee paying schools in the UK, said: "There's very few ways in which a school can lower its budget significantly at a time when they're losing more pupils than they have in the past.
"We're seeing an average of one to two school closures a week at the moment and we expect more to close in the coming months."
The Treasury defended the government decision to add VAT to private school fees.
A spokesperson said: "We have the right economic plan.
"The decisions taken at the Budget mean we can stabilise the economy and deliver support for families with the cost of living, including the 94% of children who go to state schools."
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