School’s sudden closure leaves parents scrambling to find alternative

“Mortified” parents have been left rushing to enrol their children at new schools after a Moreton Bay independent college reportedly closed following a series of financial audits.

Charlotte Mason College at Kallangur. Picture: David Clark

“Mortified” parents have been left rushing to enrol their children at new schools after a Moreton Bay independent college reportedly closed following a series of financial audits.

Charlotte Mason College at Kallangur is understood to have closed on Friday, leaving “heartbroken” staff without work just weeks out from Christmas.

The college had a student cohort of about 300 children across Prep-Year 10.

It means hundreds of desperate parents have just a six-week window to secure places for their children for the 2024 school year with many forced to go on waiting lists.

One parent told The Courier-Mail that they had been completely blindsided.

“It’s left many of us with no option. There is only limited time to try and find another school for next year,” the parent said.

“We are mortified at what’s happened. Some of us have money tied up with the school like for uniforms, school fees. We are all in the same boat.

“It’s just a mess. No one saw it coming and it has shocked a lot of people.”

Charlotte Mason College at Kallungur still had signs out for new enrolments on Tuesday. Picture: David Clark

The parent said it was unclear whether parents of students who would have been new in 2024 had been alerted of the closure.

They said the closure was heartbreaking for the staff who potentially faced being unemployed at Christmas.

“They were wonderful staff, it’s very sad for them,” they said.

Despite signs at the front of the college seeking new enrolments, its website has been disabled, calls to the office phone rings out and emails bounce back.

Parents too, said they had unsuccessfully tried to make contact with the school for more information.

It’s understood an email was sent to the school community from its board chair Sarah Biggs, who said the college had lost its accreditation following a series of financial audits.

Ms Biggs said the school had a “tumultuous” history and that it was in a “tough” financial position, despite the best efforts of the current management team.

“We were audited with an unusual intensity and although each audit was passed, the final act of NSSAB (Non State Schools Accreditation Board) came, as we had employed the services of an administrator to assist in dealing with historical debt,” her email read.

“NSSAB withdrew the school’s registration and funding and made it impossible for us to continue.

“The board is shocked by this outcome. Our expectations, based on the advice we had received and actions taken, was that the prudent steps we had put in place would allow the operations of the college to continue.

“We are deeply saddened by these events and the impact on staff and you, our parents and your children, our students.”

The college, Ms Biggs and the accreditation board were approached for comment but did not respond.