St. Nicholas House has announced an ownership change through a parental buyout. Headmaster Martin Castle commented: “We are very proud of our school and what we have achieved and we feel we are going back to our roots with strong, passionate owners that trust in the standards of the school and have invested their money and expertise into its future”.
The new owners, whose children all attend St Nicks, are local business people, similar to those who founded the school. Spokesperson Andrew Dewing said: “We have a strong belief in the ethos and values of the school. The education and pastoral care offered by St Nicks and the leadership from Martin Castle has been a driving force in our decision to invest. Mark Ellse, the outgoing owner, is supportive of the takeover of the school and we would like to thank him for his contribution in the last 12 months”.
The philosophy of the school is to encourage a sense of responsibility with pupils learning to play a worthwhile and meaningful role in the life of the community. St Nicks offers a happy, independent, quality, all-round educational environment. Parents can send their children to the nursery at two years old, moving into the prep school between the ages of four to five years. The school’s traditional values coupled with small class sizes throughout allow for more individual attention which in turn engenders a sense of community. Pupils leave at age eleven with a strong work ethic and a sense of worth, having learnt independence of thought and action giving confidence to tackle whatever comes their way.