Plans to close the private Immanuel College in Bushey after 36 years as a result of sharply falling numbers have been announced this week on the eve of what will be its final term.
The co-educational modern Orthodox school, which charges annual fees of £29,700 a year, was intended to be a flagship for Jewish education in the UK when it opened in September 1990.
But with 360 pupils on its roll – nearly half the 688 at its high point only a few years ago – and applications continuing to drop, governors have decided to pull the plug.
According to its accounts for the year ending August 2025 which were signed off last month and became public only a few days ago, the school made a loss of £2 million that year.
However, governors stated in the accounts that at the time of approving them, they had “a reasonable expectation that the college has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future”.
In letter to parents on Tuesday morning, chair of governors Daniel Levy wrote: “This is an incredibly painful moment for our entire community.”
Governors had “explored every possible avenue to secure the college’s long-term future” including making “substantial cost reductions” and meeting community philanthropists, he said.
"Sadly, it is becoming clear that the funding required to sustain the school is unlikely to be forthcoming. “Taking all these factors into account, the governors consider there may be no other viable alternative but to consult with staff about closure in August 2026,” he said.
The college’s challenges were “significant and sustained. The introduction of VAT on independent school fees has added further strain to an already challenged sector (more than 100 independent schools have announced plans to close since January 2025).
"This has been compounded by prolonged high inflation, increased national Insurance contributions, and declining pupil numbers. Additionally, the growing popularity of Jewish state schools, has contributed to enrolment falling to unsustainable levels.”
“We fully recognise that this announcement will come as a shock and will be deeply upsetting to all those connected with the college.”
Arrangements for pupils who are due to sit GCSEs and A-levels in summer 2027 to continue to be taught are to be offered. However, this will require two-thirds of the relevant cohorts agreeing to sign up for tuition by May 6.
In a statement on Tuesday, the school said ongoing losses exceeding £2 million a year were “unsustainable” and the level of funding required to keep it open “unattainable. The most recent viability study indicated that a minimum of 50 full-fee-paying students would need to enrol each year for the school to break even.
"Our current year-7 cohort has 35 students but with fee remissions only generate the revenue of 18 full fee-paying places. We only have the equivalent of 12 full-fee-paying places committed for September 2026.”
When the college opened with an initial cohort of 40 pupils, there were only two state-aided Jewish schools serving north-west London: JFS and Hasmonean High. But the opening of Yavneh College in Hertfordshire in 2006 and JCoSS in East Barnet four years later led to a significant expansion of state-funded Jewish school places in the capital.
The government’s introduction of 20 per cent VAT on independent school fees last year – along with the removal of business rates relief –made private education unaffordable for some families.
Launched with a £10 million development fund, the college was hailed as “the single most ambitious enterprise ever undertaken in the history of Anglo-Jewry” by the then Chief Rabbi, Immanuel, Lord Jakobovits after whom it was named. Intended to produce – in his vision – “new generations of model Jews”, it was the crowning achievement of his efforts to increase investment in Jewish education.
The Charles Kalms, Henry Ronson Immanuel College, to give it its full title, also bore the names of the fathers of its two principal sponsors, Sir Gerald Ronson and Lord Kalms.
At its outset, its roll was intended to reach 650 to 700 pupils within five or so years but it took over two decades to hit that capacity, having opened a preparatory school to act as a feeder in 2011.
Despite the increase of the Jewish state sector, Immanuel benefited from a boom in demand for Jewish schooling a decade ago. With more than 90 students entering year 7, its main problem seemed to be finding classrooms to house them.
But its fortunes began to take a downturn after the end of Covid, coupled with challenges over its leadership. Its headteacher of four years Gary Griffin retired in December 2021. A restructuring under temporary headship led to a cull of staff as the school sought to reduce increased operating costs.
Its appointed permanent successor Jo Ebner was forced to withdraw before taking up office in September 2022 owing to ill-health. The college then turned to its former head of sixth form Millan Sachania, who returned as head but lasted only two years in post. The subsequent acting head Dan Endlar was permanently appointed a year ago.
He told the JC last autumn that the college would be “sustainable” with two forms of entry, although ideally it would enjoy a three-form intake.
According to the annual Times survey, it was the top-performing Jewish school in the country, measured by GCSE and A-level results, ranking 116th in the paper’s national school table.
The first signs of trouble came with the closure of the prep school at the end of the last academic year.
According to the latest accounts, Immanuel had cash and short-term deposits of a £4.5 million, with an 11-acre site, which includes a grade II listed mansion, valued at £10.5 million.
But fee income dipped considerably last year, from £12.4 million in 2024. to £10.4 million.
It paid over £200,000 in bursaries to pupils from less well-off families last year and over £430,000 in scholarships and prizes. It had 158 teaching, support and administrative staff.
On March 13 governors discussed a presentation on whether it was better to close the college this year or next – the same day that auditors signed off the last set of accounts.
But at a further meeting later this month a majority of the governing body considered an earlier closure preferable for moral and financial reasons.
The governors had looked at the possibility of the school becoming part of the state system but this was deemed too complex.
Immanuel was contacted for comment.
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