Cavendish Education has purchased the former Belmont School at Holmbury St Mary, near Dorking, Surrey, from RSM UK Restructuring Advisory LLP for an undisclosed price.
The education and charities team of global property consultancy Knight Frank was instructed to sell the site earlier this year on behalf of Glen Carter and Phillip Sykes of RSM, who were appointed joint administrators of Belmont School (Feldemore) Educational Trust Limited.
The school, which was marketed with a guide price of £7m, had been a co-educational day and boarding school with a nursery, prep, and senior school for the past 70 years.
Cavendish Education intends to open a new school on the site which will cater specifically for neurodiverse children and young people, addressing a growing need in the education sector.
Simon Coles, CEO of Cavendish Education, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have acquired this fantastic school site and can’t wait to share our plans with everyone. Our family of schools is dedicated to celebrating and nurturing neurodiverse students who think and learn differently. The demand for more schools like ours is growing, and we are excited to open a specialist independent provision here, meaning we can do more for even more young people who may have previously struggled in the mainstream system but could thrive with a different approach.
“Alongside our academic curriculum we will offer enrichment in sports, technology, the arts, and outdoor education. With such excellent facilities here already, we’re incredibly excited to start preparations and look forward to opening our doors to pupils in the near future.”
Sam Van de Velde, an associate in the education and charities team at Knight Frank, added: “We’re thrilled to have facilitated this sale to Cavendish Education, their plans to create a specialist school for children align perfectly with the property’s legacy of nurturing young minds. The planned renovations will breathe new life into this historic site, ensuring it continues to serve the educational needs of the community for years to come.”
Glen Carter, joint administrator and director at RSM UK, said: “We are delighted to have worked with Knight Frank to secure the sale of the land and buildings of the former Belmont School. This transaction not only maximises returns for the creditors, but it also paves the way for the continued use of the site as an educational facility.”
