Braeside has been operating in leased premises since Miss Marjorie Wakefield, who founded the school in 1944, placed the site in a Trust in 1972 in order to protect and safeguard the school. Since she died in 1985, the Trust has been administered by a local legal practice.
When the Oak-Tree Group of schools acquired Braeside in September 2015 we were unable to purchase the freehold so we took over the long-standing lease.
The beneficiaries of the Trust decided to sell the premises earlier this year at a price that
was significantly out of reach for us. A purchaser has been found and, during the
summer break, contracts were exchanged. I have been liaising with the new owner over
the last few months in an attempt to align our continuing interests with theirs.
The purchaser of the school site has designated the site for development and the ongoing occupation of Braeside School in the medium to long term is not part of their future plans for the site. We are sorry to report that this means Braeside School will cease to operate from the end of term in July 2025, and will close at the end of this academic year.
Places for all current Braeside pupils have been made available at the other schools in the Oak-Tree Group. Oaklands, Normanhurst and Coopersale Hall all have similar values and
ethoses as Braeside. All offer relatively small class sizes, high staff to pupil ratios, high
levels of resourcing and excellent pastoral care. They also operate similar curricula and
timetables.
It should also highlight that The Oak-Tree Group own the premises at each of the other schools and so there cannot be a repeat of this situation.
This is a sad time for Braeside School however, we still have the best part of the academic year left and we are committed to making what will be the 81st and final year of Braeside the best that it can possibly be for the whole school community.
