Peak District private school merges with Sheffield rival amid cost pressures

Contracts were exchanged on Tuesday, June 6, to fold S. Anselm’s in Bakewell into Birkdale School from August 31, beginning a new chapter for two historic institutions.

Since 1888, the Derbyshire prep school has taken day and boarding pupils from the age of three, while its new partner – celebrating its 120th anniversary in 2024 – caters exclusively to day pupils, aged four to 18, across two sites in the Broomhall area of the city.

S. Anselm’s chair of governors Richard Bowker said: “We will become part of the Birkdale family, but there will be no day-to-day changes for pupils, families or staff at either school other than the exciting opportunities afforded over time by the sharing of best practice, facilities and resources.

“Our combined entity will be far more than the sum of the individual parts and lead to much greater choice and flexibility for all families and children at both schools.”

The governing body of S. Anselm’s will be dissolved, with one representative joining the Birkdale board, while deputy head Lisa Donnelly will take the top job in Bakewell, working under the overall leadership of Birkdale headmaster Peter Harris.

New, streamlined working arrangements will be fleshed out before September but the schools have already carried out extensive background work.

Paul Houghton, chair of governors at Birkdale, said: “Richard and I have been speaking for a few years to share good practice, and as S. Anselm’s was a feeder school for Birkdale the heads have worked together too, so the relationships were already strong. Over the past six months we’ve carried out due diligence to see if joining forces could produce positive outcomes for both schools.

“We want to celebrate the best of the two, and share the talent and facilities we each have for things like music and sport. The immediate feedback has been excellent. Staff are immensely positive and enthusiastic.”

Despite being named Tatler’s ‘prep school of the year’ in 2021, S. Anselm’s ended GCSE provision last summer, citing changes in the market and restricted growth potential on the Stanedge Road site – factors also apparent in the merger.

Paul said: “This is an exciting opportunity for both our school communities during a time of rapid change in the world in general, and the independent education sector in particular. The market trend is increasingly towards consolidation. The leading schools are those getting together and creating synergies.

“There are cost pressures in the independent sector, just as in the public sector. In the future there may be potential political pressure too. Those schools that are well prepared financially and work together effectively will be the ones that thrive, and we are delighted to be part of that. S. Anselm’s is a pathway to all of the major public schools in the country, and we want that to continue.

“Both Birkdale and S. Anselm’s have continuously evolved to provide the best, rounded education to every pupil, and this move will ensure we can build on the ethos both schools share, work collaboratively to extend opportunities for our pupils now and long into the future.”

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