Ruthin School, one of the UK's oldest private schools with origins dating back to 1284, has been put up for sale for £5million after closing in July following Labour's VAT changes on school fees and mounting financial pressures. The Denbighshire school, which had 201 pupils and counted John Lennon's son Julian among its former students, entered administration despite new owners injecting £6.4million into the institution as recently as March 2023.

The 13.7-acre estate includes 12 buildings, a sports field, woodland and more than 24 acres of agricultural land, with administrators saying buyers could continue its educational use or pursue alternative development. The school had posted losses of up to £955,000 in recent years, and boarding fees rose sharply from £45,690 to £54,828 in the past year alone. It is among more than 100 private schools to have closed as pupil numbers nationally fall, with 526,611 pupils now enrolled in private education, down from 556,551 two years ago, a decline officials say may exceed Labour's original forecasts.