Complaint made about shutting prominent prep school

Maidwell Hall school closed in July

A parent group has lodged a formal complaint with the Charity Commission over the management of a prominent preparatory school that has since closed.

The complaint against the Uppingham School Group, which ran Maidwell Hall in Northamptonshire, alleged failings including financial mismanagement, governance breaches, charity law violations and the false solicitation of fees.

It centred on the decision leading up to and including the shutting of Maidwell Hall.

Uppingham School Group said it would be "robustly refuting the claims made in the complaint" if the Charity Commission investigated. The Charity Commission said it was "assessing concerns raised" to "determine any next steps".

A separate police investigation into Earl Spencer's allegations of abuse at the school in the 1970s is ongoing

Maidwell Hall was founded in 1911 and was one of the country's best-known prep schools.

Previous pupils include former Poet Laureate Andrew Motion, writer and restaurant critic William Sitwell and Earl Spencer.

The parent group claimed the decision to close the school was made in mid-2024, but parents were not informed until January 2025, despite the school enrolling new pupils during that period.

It also questioned why a parents' rescue bid backed by the David Ross Educational Trust was rejected.

A spokesperson for a Maidwell parents' group said: "During the last seven months, it has become evident that there is a case to answer regarding the financial mismanagement, governance failures and breaches of charity law by Uppingham.

"We believe it is only right and proper that this is thoroughly investigated by the commission."

'Significantly loss making'

A statement from the Uppingham School Group refuted the claims made by the parent group.

It said a decision to close Maidwell School was made on 30 November 2024 at a Trustee meeting, which was then shared in January following a consultation period.

The group said the proposed rescue bid had "significant gaps" and underestimated the school's expenditure, among other issues.

Uppingham said that although it had increased pupil numbers and invested in the school, it "remained significantly loss-making", and then faced further financial pressures following the introduction of VAT on private school fees and the increase in employers' National Insurance contributions.

The statement added that Maidwell Hall would have "faced almost certain insolvency" in 2022 had Uppingham not rescued it and repaid a "six-figure bank loan".

A Charity Commission spokesperson said: "We are assessing concerns raised with us about Uppingham School to determine any next steps. In line with our guidance, Uppingham School promptly reported the closure of Maidwell School to us."

Northamptonshire Police confirmed a separate police investigation into Earl Spencer's allegations of physical and sexual abuse at the school in the 1970s was ongoing.