A month ago, faculty members, parents, local businesses and pupils were scrambling to find a way to save Scotland’s last Catholic boarding school from closure.
It was announced on June 1 that Kilgraston School, established in 1930, would shut at the end of term on June 24 due to financial struggles and a decline in pupil enrolment.
But with that date now passed and term now ended, it is instead “business as usual” for headteacher Tanya Davie who is now looking forward to a bright future for the school after a miraculous turnaround in the 11th hour.
“It has been so emotional that you were on a rollercoaster,” she said to the PA. “You couldn’t really see the next thing that would come around the corner.
“We got word [of the closure decision] on the Thursday night and it was hard to believe.
“On the Friday pupils took time out in our year groups and sat outside together and we gauged how they were feeling.
“We gathered together with the parents over the Friday, Saturday and Sunday.”
Parents then formed an action group to raise £2 million to keep the institution open - raising £1.24m in 48 hours.
Local businesses were also desperate to help out.
Mrs Davie continued: “What has reassured me is the power of the people.
“That when there is a strong belief and a drive for something that is really good and fundamentally does an amazing job, we can rally round and really ensure something survives when it looks like it was as good as gone.
“The history of the school came out to me.
“The pupils have rallied round, they have looked after each other.
“One of the first things I noticed after the announcement was they asked if staff were okay. That is a lovely and caring thing to do.
“It isn’t just the current parents - it is the alumni, it is the staff, it is the community.
“We are in a small community in Bridge of Earn but it is amazing how they have all come out and supported us.
“On the Saturday and Sunday businesses brought in food and non-alcoholic drinks and we were able to just focus on the task at hand.
“The outpouring of love for the school and the community was just massive.”
Education provider Achieve Education Limited was then inspired to step in to invest in the school providing “much-needed financial strength and stability”.
The partnership with Achieve has a special significance after it was revealed its board of directors include former headteacher of the school Michael Farmer and former school bursar Barry Farrell.
“They became aware very quickly over Zoom and worked hard over the weekend to see if this had legs,” Mrs Davie explained.
“We found very quickly that we were on the same hymn sheet.
“We have people coming onto the board now who don’t need to learn about the school, don’t need to find out what is special about it - they already know.”
The group will now install a new board of directors, who will replace the school’s existing governor and trustee structure.
Mrs Davie says she has been given the “keys” to continue leading the school under the guidance of the Achieve Education Advisory Board.
Leading figures at the school say parents have supported the move “in significant numbers”.
Kilgraston’s Senior School will stay as a school for girls with the Junior School to continue as co-educational for pupils up to the age of 12.
Fees have also been frozen for the upcoming school year.
Mrs Davie added: “They have given me the green light and I will have a board above me who will work with me.
“What we like about Kilgraston is the ethos.
“They are straight in now and helping manage the board from August.
“It has been business as usual.
“Fees are also frozen for this year and the £1.24m will go towards bursaries, places and scholarships.
“The parents’ association are reaching out to the people who have pledged to see if they still want to commit to a financial donation to the school.”
Having become headteacher just 14 months ago, Mrs Davie was aware of the difficulties the independent school sector faced.
“I am not naive as I come from the independent sector so I know how challenging it is,” she explained.
“So we have been driving forward with recruitment.
“But all the utility prices went up suddenly which was not there when I started. That made a big difference on how it impacted on our budget going forward.
“I could see it was challenging but it was still upsetting when we heard it was going to go.
“We could not have predicted it.
“I would not have predicted the war in Ukraine and that impact on my personal professional life - but it has for everybody.
“That does not exclude any independent schools in the country I would say.
“For me, as a new head, what it has solidified is that there is a strong market out there for independent education.
“And that parents will work hard and sacrifice for their children to attend such a school.”
Having been earmarked for a June 24 closure, the school will instead host a number of exciting summer programmes before the new term begins.
She said: “The seniors are working in our summer camps and the language school is running, so they will be around.
“Many of our juniors have signed up for our sports camps. So we will see them a lot over the summer.
“They are really excited about coming back.
“We are ready and are excited about coming back in August - to implement what I have put together this year having got to know the school.
“I will try to meet with every single parent of prospective pupils over the summer.
“New families are signing up and we are back in business really.
“It is almost like the last few weeks didn’t happen.
“It is very much business as usual.”
