Shock as doors close on historic private school
Nation Cymru staff
One of Wales’ oldest schools, considered one of the top independent schools in the UK, has announced that it is set to close its doors today (2 July), to the shock of staff and students.
Ruthin School has been recognised as the top independent school in north Wales in The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide 2026 and ranked among the UK’s leading boarding schools in the ISC league tables.
Founded in 1284, the school had recently published its autumn start dates, advertising for new students on social media only last month, sharing: “If your child is looking for a Sixth Form that will prepare them properly for university and beyond, Ruthin School has a small number of places available for September 2026.
“Expert teaching, tailored support for university applications, and a diverse international community of students from over 20 countries — all within a focused boarding and day environment in North Wales where students are known as individuals.”
Ruthin School was founded in the wake of Edward I’s conquest of Wales.
Following Owain Glyndŵr’s attack on Ruthin in September 1400, it appears that the collegiate church, and presumably also the school, continued to function unscathed until the dissolution of the former in 1535.
Ruthin School was acquired by Ruthin Education Limited, a new company formed in early 2023, with Chinese businesswoman and philanthropist Shangmei Gao leading the takeover, though she and other initial directors soon resigned from the specific school company, with the school’s operations transferring to this new entity under a new board, maintaining its international focus, particularly strong ties with China, and its independent, co-educational status with new leadership.
“Incredibly sad day”
A spokesperson for Galaxy Global Education Limited said: “This is an incredibly sad day for everyone connected with Ruthin School. Despite every effort to secure the school’s future, it has not been possible to establish a financially viable way forward, and the company will enter administration following the end of term.
“Our immediate priority is supporting pupils, families and staff through this transition, including helping pupils move to new schools and ensuring examination-year students continue to receive the support they need.
“We are deeply grateful to our staff for their professionalism and dedication, and profoundly sorry that we have reached this point.”
Maria McLean, Head of External Relations at nearby Rydal Penrhos in Colwyn Bay, told Denbighshire Free Press: “We are shocked and saddened to see another North Wales independent school with a long history close its doors. Our sympathies are with every family, pupil and member of staff affected.
“Our priority now is to support those impacted by this news and to ensure that every pupil has a place in September.
“As we enter the summer holidays, we will do everything to ensure families do so with the security of a confirmed school place at Rydal Penrhos in September, and are able to enjoy their break.
“We are offering drop-in visits on Thursday (July 2), and an open morning will be held on July 13.
“To contact our Admissions Team, please email [email protected].”
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Wonder what more profitable business this’ll become. Looks like it might make a nice country hotel, maybe high end residential care.
I rarely buy the ‘no longer financially viable’ argument. Usually just means ‘insufficiently lucrative’.
There’s a massive global market for the rich outsourcing their kids education to “Hogwarts”.
High time all private education was abolished.
It’s the dominance of privately educated club members in top tiers of government that should worry us more than trying to stop legitimate business activities. Imagine if three quarters of senior Treasury officials were Mormons. That would be an obvious problem even if they were all lovely well intentioned people.
The issue isn’t that private schools are too good; its that State schools aren’t good enough. We need to improve the latter not pull down the former.
Was this post meant for someone else? Literally nothing to do with my point.
Privatr schooling isn’t about the education but about the contacts made. State education is as good, though it is patchy in terms of quality of delioverymand this is something that requitres urgent attention. With the offspring of the elite also having to use the same education system, the proper resourcing would likely materialise.
Many many people don’t have the luxury of living in a community and have to travel and be away from home so private schools are a solution. So many companies are global now and you can be asked to be anywhere in the world. If you work in the armed forces you are moving around the world protecting the UK’s interests where do you send your kids? Perhaps you have a better solution 🤔
Why? So that we don’t have too much excellence? Thats such a depressing argument. We need to aspire to be better, create a stronger economy and forward looking society. Levelling downwards to ensure everyone has equally poor lives is a recipe for misery.
The majority of Oxbridge students come from state schools. Private education isn’t about excellence. It’s about buying into a lifelong social and professional network.
This article describes Ms Gao as a “philanthropist”. Companies House record her as a Chinese National living in London. Some news outlets call her an “asset stripper” (which she vigorously denies) who snaps up independent schools with a promises of “bright and stable futures” only to close them down (Malvern St James, Durham High School). I may have been misinformed, but I am told that the majority of students at Ruthin were “international” and most of those from China. While I am uncomfortable with the idea of money buying a better education, I am supportive of the idea of not-for-profit, self-funding,… Read more »
Am I reading that right? You support private education in Wales for students brought in from overseas but Welsh students themselves shouldn’t be allowed to attend? Is that really what you’ve written there??!
A welcome nail in the coffin of buying privilege and social advantage. No tears shed here.
Stupid labour have attacked an entire industry due to class war. This school had 200+ students, GOV. pays £8000+ per year, per child for schooling. So they just destroyed a good business; destroyed jobs; destroyed a community AND added £1,600,000 PER YEAR to the local education cost/budget. F**king Morons!
The vast majority of these students are international students with half of those from China. The idea that affordability was a factor for them is for the birds. We can only speculate about the motives of the new Chinese owner, but isn’t it possible that the Chinese government isn’t keen on their rich middle class kids getting a western education?