By Karim Hammam
Leweston School, a historic Catholic boarding and day school near Sherborne in Dorset, closed its doors without warning in October 2026, leaving nearly 600 pupils, their families, and staff in sudden uncertainty. The school, founded in 1891 as St Anthony’s, had been acquired by a subsidiary of Concept Education in December 2025.
MPs demand government inquiry
Liberal Democrat MP Edward Morello for West Dorset and Conservative MP Simon Hoare for North Dorset have urged the Department for Education to investigate the closure. Both MPs said neither they nor the local authority received any advance notice of the shutdown. Morello described the decision as outrageous, noting that staff and parents were given no warning.
School cites unforeseen financial issues
In a statement on its website, the school apologized for the short notice and said families and staff had been contacted directly. Concept Education chief executive Hugh Dickinson wrote to parents that Leweston was already in serious financial difficulty before the takeover, losing money and at risk of closure and land sale. He said due diligence had been conducted but subsequent operational issues emerged that were far beyond what had been anticipated.
Community protests for reopening
Parents, pupils, and staff have formed a working group to protest the closure and call for the school to be reopened. The Independent was unable to reach Concept Education for further comment.
