PARENTS with children at Ben Madigan Preparatory School in North Belfast have managed to avert the closure of the school after previous fears it would close due to financial difficulties.

The original decision to close the school, which is a preparatory school for Belfast Royal Academy (BRA) and teaches children aged three to 11, alarmed parents who said they have been kept in the dark over financial matters affecting the school, which charges parents around £5,000 per year.

On March 13 parents were informed that the school was at serious risk of being shut down due to losses of over £750,000 over a five year period. Parents, who had recently seen the fees for attending the school increase were dismayed over what they alleged was the withholding of important information from them.

At a meeting of the Board of Governors on Tuesday night concerning the fate of the school, parents scored a vital victory in keeping the school open by preventing the two-thirds majority needed to bring about a development proposal, which would have led to the closure of the school.

After speaking with the parents concerned, SDLP councillor Carl Whyte said: “After recent concerns I met with the parents of pupils at Ben Madigan Preparatory School and the Principal of Belfast Royal Academy to discuss the current situation.

"While ongoing financial pressures facing our entire education system and declining pupil numbers at Ben Madigan have posed a number of difficulties, it is clear that this school will not be closing and it’s important that we have clarity around that. 

“I would urge all interested parties to work together to address the ongoing challenges so that both schools can continue their many decades of providing an excellent education to young people in this area.”