PARENTS are demanding an investigation by the Charity Commission into the closure of a private school after it was taken over by a neighbouring educational trust.

Parsons Mead School for girls in Ashtead, Surrey, will close next month after trustees announced that falling pupil rolls made it uneconomic to continue. More than 200 pupils were given just four weeks’ notice to find alternative schools for September.

Parents have accused the trust of running down Parsons Mead so that its assets can be used for the benefit of a nearby preparatory school, Danes Hill in Oxshott. They have asked the Charity Commission to begin an inquiry, claiming that governors failed to act in the best interests of the school. A parents’ campaign to fight the closure is due to meet tonight.

The Vernon Educational Trust (VET), which governs Danes Hill, took charge of Parsons Mead nine months ago under an agreement intended to revive its fortunes. Dame Angela Rumbold, a former Conservative Education Minister, became chairwoman of the Parsons Mead Educational Trust.

Angry parents said that Dame Angela had refused to meet them.

A group of parents had offered to buy Parsons Mead, while others had said that they would pay higher fees to rescue it, but the trust had refused to discuss the proposals.

Irene Gatland, whose daughter, Harriet, is a pupil at Parsons Mead, said: “Parents all feel left in the dark because of the promises that were made less than a year ago. We just feel there has been a deliberate ploy by the Vernon trust to let the school run down.”

Claire Smith, an accountant who moved her nine-year-old daughter from a state school to Parsons Mead last September, said: “The whole thing just smells of asset-stripping. It is not as if the Vernon trust bought Parsons Mead.

“They just offered their support and expertise and now they have chosen to close our school. They didn’t speak to a single parent or consult any of the teachers. They came in and shut us down.”

Anita Bean, another parent, said: “No attempt has been made by the trustees to find a solution to the school’s apparent financial difficulties.”

Dame Angela told The Times that she had sent a “comprehensive” letter to parents explaining the decision. Parsons Mead needed 325 pupils to be viable but would have less than 200 by September.

“There are a number of schools in this area and the market is saturated. We did our best and tried to market the school, but the truth of the matter is that parents just don’t want it,” she said.

Dame Angela said that assets left over from the closure would be placed in a trust to provide financial aid to local families seeking independent education for their children.

William House, who is secretary to both trusts, denied that the assets of Parsons Mead would go to Danes Hill School. He said that the two trusts remained separate, despite having common members.

Cognita, a company that runs the largest group of independent schools in England, sought to buy Parsons Mead but its offer was rejected by governors in favour of VET.

Chris Woodhead, chairman of Cognita and a former head of Ofsted, said that it remained interested in buying Parsons Mead. Dame Angela said that she was willing to discuss Cognita’s proposals.

Mr Woodhead said: “Parents and staff have every right to ask what on earth has been going on.”

Up to 60 private schools close each year.

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