The Charity Commission is to assess the financial management and governance of an independent Christian school that was placed into administration last month.

The regulator has opened a compliance case following the closure of St Lawrence College in Kent.

The school has been run by charity The Corporation of St Lawrence College, which has submitted a serious incident report to the Commission relating to its finances.

“We have opened a regulatory compliance case to assess financial and governance concerns raised with us about The Corporation of St Lawrence College,” confirmed a Commission spokesperson.

“Our assessment will determine any next steps.”

The regulator points out that the opening of a compliance case is not an indication of wrongdoing and that administrators will be overseeing the charity’s insolvency process.

The school closed with immediate effect in April for all students apart from those in Years 11 and 13 undertaking exams, in a move that has led to the loss of 160 jobs.

Governors had cited “significant financial pressures over a number of years” including falling pupil numbers and the introduction of VAT on school fees.

Earlier this year school had announced that it was in discussions to merge with another nearby independent school, Dover College, due to its financial problems. But following “significant, clear and voluble reaction around the School community” the move this was abandoned.

The Corporation of St Lawrence College’s spending has outstripped its income for four of the last five years, according to its accounts filed with the Commission.

For the year ending August 2024, it spent £13.34m, however its income for the period was £11.98m.

The school was founded almost 150 years ago. Its former pupils include former Metropolitan Police commissioner John Stevens, and ex British Army head General Richard Dannat.

---