How Labour’s spiteful VAT raid and a mysterious takeover by a City speculator led to overnight closure of a 135-year-old private school: GUY ADAMS investigates

Leweston School in Dorset closed without warning shortly before the end of half-term, saying it had run out of cash. The shutdown disrupted the education of hundreds of pupils, left staff facing unpaid wages and housing uncertainty, and raised concerns about the pressures on independent schools.

Founded in 1891, Leweston had 577 pupils and 214 staff, and charged annual fees of up to £45,000. The article reports that 149 independent schools have closed since the start of 2025, citing a campaign group that attributes the trend to VAT on fees, the end of business rates relief and higher employer National Insurance costs; it also says 33,000 children have left the sector. The article’s account is incomplete, ending before further details about Leweston’s finances or the circumstances of its takeover.