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School to reopen after being saved from closure
Following the efforts of alumni, parents and staff, a unique school will reopen in September.
Bristol Steiner School is set to welcome 80 students through its doors in Redland Hill just months after its future looked highly uncertain.
After exiting administration and saving 25 jobs in the process, school bosses hope that largescale financial and infrastructural reforms will help “make the best progress possible”.
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Co-chair of trustees at the school, Rowena Kennedy-Epstein, said: “We are thrilled to announce that Bristol Steiner School has successfully exited administration.
“This achievement reflects the unwavering dedication and support of our community, whose generosity and commitment have been instrumental in securing our future.”
In June, £1m was raised in an attempt to save the school.
Gareth Hegarty, partner at law firm Shakespeare Martineau led the school’s exit from administration on behalf of the school’s Parents, Teachers & Friends Association.
Hegarty described the exit as an “extraordinary testament to the efforts of the local community”.
As part of its reopening, Bristol Steiner School will invest in renovations of the school building and garden spaces and will work towards the establishment of a middle school for pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9.
Newly appointed headteacher Angela Cogan said that she feels “privileged to be part of such an exciting time”.
Cogan said: “The Steiner approach is very close to my heart, and I aim to safeguard everything we hold dear while ensuring children make the best progress possible.”
But Hegarty warned: “The pressures faced by independent schools, in particular, are likely to increase if the new Government proceeds with its policy to remove tax exemptions for private schools and introduce a 20 per cent rate of VAT.”
Main photo: Bristol Steiner School
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