WITH great regret Crediton’s Queen Elizabeth’s School has confirmed the closure of its boarding facility.

The school said that this has followed extensive consultation with parents, boarders, staff and the community, including at a public meeting.

Rupert Poole commented to the “Courier” that, unfortunately, numbers of boarders had reduced significantly in recent years for State Boarding Schools.

He explained that with European families feeling less confident about sending their children to UK state boarding schools following the Brexit vote, the boarding provision is no longer viable.

However, Mr Poole said he was delighted that the number of local families choosing to send their children to QE as day students has increased for September 2019.

He went on to say that QE was sad that part of QE’s long and proud history (a history that stretches back more than 460 years, originally as a grammar school, then as a boarding grammar for boys and girls) was coming to an end.

Mr Poole said: “All the staff and students can be proud of the community they have worked hard to create within the boarding houses.

“Students have enjoyed being part of a close knit, international community and past students have been getting in touch to share their happy memories.”

Boarding staff have been working closely with the students and their families and Mr Poole confirmed there are a range of options to allow boarders to remain at the school.

He added: “Supporting the current boarders who are due to continue at the school next year is obviously our main priority, and I am pleased to report that the majority have already made accommodation arrangements that will enable them to stay at QE.” 

Queen Elizabeth’s has about 1,400 students, nearly 200 of whom are in the Sixth Form.

It has two separate sites, or campuses. The Barnfield campus, with its beautiful grounds and views right across the hills to Dartmoor, houses Years 7 and 8 away from the rest of the school and allows the younger students to thrive. The Western Road site houses Years 9, 10 and 11 and includes College House, which is home to the Sixth Form centre.