The historic UK school educated pupils aged between 11 and 18 and rang its final bell on July 1, 2026.
Stoke College, in Stoke-by-Clare, Suffolk operated as a school since 1954, however the historic site dates back through centuries of religious use, with it originating as a religious college in 1415.
Pupils paid fees of up to £19,662 a year for day students and £38,421 for boarding.
On July 22, 2026 a liquidator was appointed, according to The Gazette.
A statement from Stoke College said: “The school will not operate beyond the end of the summer term and does not intend to reopen for the 2026–27 academic year.”
The school stated that financial challenges were the cause of the closure, including the introduction of VAT on school fees.
This change was introduced by the government in order to help pay for more state school teachers in England.
In May the school hosted an open morning and was advertising for new admissions, hence the closure was a shock to many.
The latest publicly available financial documents for Cambridge Stoke College Ltd show an after-tax loss of £1.6m for 2024.
The school said that “the removal of business rates relief, rising employment costs and increasing operational expenditure” also added to its challenges.
In November 2019 Stoke College was bought by new owners.
Announcing the closure, the school said: “The immediate priority is to support students, families and staff through this transition and to ensure continuity of education for every child.”
Stoke College said it would be working with nearby independent schools to help and secure places for children.
Principal Kim Terrar said: “This is an incredibly sad day for everyone connected with Stoke College.
“While we do not yet know what the future holds for this beautiful site, my focus now is on finding the best way forward for our incredible students and staff.”
For the last school year Stoke College had 119 students in attendance.
Joe Whiley of Insolvency Direct Ltd has been appointed liquidator.
