Private school in Midhurst with 90 year history closes down

Conifers School, on Egmont Road, closed its doors for the last time on July 5. First founded in 1934 by Miss Barbara Gayford and her sister, Joyce, the co-educational prep school taught children aged 2-13 and made the most of the surrounding south downs by emphasising outdoor learning, sustainability and a connection to the countryside with properly timetabled outdoor education lessons.

The school is now listed as ‘closed’ on Gov.uk, Google and Ofsted and its website is inactive. Current owners Quo Vadis Education – which also owns and operates Boundary Oak, an independent day and boarding school in Fareham – took over in 2020. In a statement published by Sussex World at the time of the acquisition, Aaron Stewart, the education group’s CEO, said: “We are delighted to confirm that QV Education has acquired Conifers School, which is particularly special for me as I am a former pupil myself and currently have two children attending the school.

"Throughout the process, it has been clear that Conifers, Boundary Oak and QV Education have a natural synergy and a common desire to provide our children with the highest quality education.

“Our mission going forward will be to enhance Confers School with new investment and oversight, whilst maintaining the previous community ethos of the school for pupils and parents alike.”

Sussex World has reached out to Quo Vadis Education for comment.

Prior to the acquisition, Conifers School struggled in its 2017 Ofsted Report, in which it was rated ‘inadequate’. Inspectors said school proprietors and leaders had not complied with contemporary safeguarding advice, failed to take an interest in the quality of teaching, and early years provision was inadequate.

A follow up inspection report, published in 2018, found that the school had vastly improved, drawing up a proper risk assessment policy, a suitable admissions register, improved executive oversight, and improved provision of both early years education and the standard of teaching school-wide.

The school was reportedly inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) 2021, and passed.