Parents scrambling after sudden closure of Colmont School in Kilmore

Independent school have offered a helping hand to 360 students left stranded after their Kilmore school was abruptly shut down.

Victorian schools have rushed to support stranded students given two days to find a new schools after the sudden closure of Colmont School in Kilmore.

Assumption College, St Patrick’s Primary in Kilmore and Ivanhoe Grammar in Melbourne - which has a Mernda campus - have opened their doors to devastated students left in tears by the news.

However, Preshil, a free-thinking independent school in Kew, has scaled back its offer of free tuition for all Colmont School students.

Colmont School, formerly Kilmore International School, collapsed after efforts to secure emergency funding failed, leaving students from years three to ten until Friday to move to another school.

Years 11 and 12 students, many of whom are doing the International Baccalaureate, will also have to move within days.

A statement from Preshil - which offers an IB program - said the school has offered to assist students at the school but is not able to make an unconditional commitment to take all students. The school is not registered to take international students, for instance.

Preshil Secondary School is located 60km away in Kew. Picture: Mark Stewart

Paul Langdon, from administrators Vince and Associates, said the Colmont College board had been seeking up to $5m in rescue funds from the state and federal government and private providers.

“The school has been in difficulties for some time. The assistance they sought has not been forthcoming,” Mr Langdon said.

He met with shocked and upset parents and teachers of the school at the Kilmore RSL on Wednesday night and another meeting is planned for Thursday night.

“We were exploring all options for the feasible continuation of the school, however the amount of money being sought is significant,” he said.

“Then we received the offer from Preshil to provide free education to every student at the school immediately.”

Mr Langdon said he was looking at payments parents may have already made for tuition at Colmont School to see if any refunds might be available.

“If you are owed money, then contact our office,” he said.

It’s understood there are outstanding bills of many thousands of dollars owed to Kilmore and Melbourne businesses, including some involving the school’s recent rebranding.

Preshil has come to the rescue of Colmont School’s 360 students. Picture: Mark Stewart

Devastated parents were scrambling to find schools for their children following the sudden closure of Colmont School in Kilmore.

The private college, formerly The Kilmore International School, has been placed into administration.

Kilmore’s Assumption College is in talks with Colmont School to take some of the school’s stranded students.

Principal Kate Fogarty wrote to parents telling them the school would “work with as many families as possible to provide continuity of education to secondary school-aged students”.

The school will expedite enrolment processes to help desperate families.

Colmont School, formerly known as Kilmore International School, told parents on Wednesday at least 300 students — from grades 3 to 10 — would finish up on Friday.

An administrator was appointed on Tuesday.

This has left outraged and frustrated parents with just two days to find an alternate school place for their children.

The school will continue to trade and operate for years 11 and 12 for as long as possible, until they are able to place those students in alternative schools. It’s expected some will have to travel to Melbourne to continue their IB studies.

The school did not own its property, boarding house or even school name — hampering its efforts to operate effectively.

In April, principal Dr Peter Cooper and chair of the board Rod Dally told parents of the school’s unique situation regarding its property and name.

“What has not been commonly known is that throughout this time the school has not owned the property at White St, the surrounding boarding houses, nor the school’s name; the current site is occupied under a long-term retail lease, and the name is granted under a licence agreement,” they said.

Colmont School in Kilmore has been placed into administration.

Daniel Andrews on he was “not certain” the state government could step in and save Colmont School.

The Premier on Thursday confirmed he was aware that the school being placed into administration.

“I do genuinely hope (the administrators) didn’t infer we won’t help,” he said.

“If there’s something we can do, then, of course we will.

“It may not be a matter for us, though. This is a private school, it is an international school, as I understand.

“(But) if there’s anything we can do to support those parents and staff … it’ll be a challenging time.”

Mr Andrews said it wouldn’t be the first time the state government had stepped in to assist schools that weren’t publicly funded.

“We have had from time to time a number of schools — that are outside our jurisdiction — that have fallen on hard times and we’ve supported them and the school community. This is no different,” he said.

“We might not be able to do much for them but we’re there and ready and willing if there’s anything we can do.”

Mr Andrews said he wasn’t aware of any other schools in a similar predicament.

“There may be, but I’m not briefed on any others beyond that one,” he said.

Boarders Faye Wintour and Jonathan Whalley. Picture: Chloe Smith

The school was started by Kilmore businessman Raymond Wittmer in 1989, but when Mr Wittmer sold the school in 2019, he retained ownership of the school’s name and logo.

In recent years the school has been trying to obtain short-term financial support, but it has not been successful. Heavily reliant on international students, it suffered greatly during the Covid pandemic.

Dr Cooper said the school’s rented premises on White St in Kilmore was nearing capacity but it was unable to do anything about it.

“As we do not own the property, we are unable to build new infrastructure. As such, the Board has commenced the process of acquiring a new school site that will meet the needs of the school, well into the next century,” he said.

It comes as Independent Schools Victoria has stepped in to help find places for the stranded students. Chief executive Michelle Green said the “immediate priority is to do anything we can to ensure any disruption to students’ education is minimised”.

“We will work with the school regulator (the VRQA), the Department of Education and Training, and other schools to find alternatives for any affected students,” she said.

“ISV only recently became aware of the extent of the financial difficulties facing the school. These difficulties were partly due to the disruption to international student enrolments caused by Covid-19.”

A Department of Education spokesman said the department was working with other bodies to “ensure a co-ordinated approach to contingency planning for students affected by this decision and the Department and the VRQA would provide information to families about alternative schools,” she said.

Kilmore father Leigh Eeles, who has two sons at the international school, said a difficult time lay ahead after discovering he would have to find a new school for his kids.

“Devastated tonight to learn that my kids’ school has gone into administration and that it will close in two days,” he said.

“The school was working out so amazing for both of them.

“It’s going to be a tough few days,” he said.

“WTF are we meant to do now?”

Speaking through tears, Mr Eeles said his family relocated to Kilmore specifically to be closer to Colmont School, but his year 9 and grade 6 sons had become anxious about the 2023 school year, fearing their friendship groups will be split up.

He said his older son only started at the school in 2021, and they will now be forced to find new schools for three of their children because their grade one daughter was also due to begin at the school in 2023.

“We used to live 40 minutes away but we decided to make the big move. It was all about them (children) and finding a really good school. We were very happy with the school, and now we have to go through that process again.”

Mr Eeles said emotions were running high at the school on Thursday.

“My kids don’t know where their friends are going. Teachers were in tears at the school gates.

“It has been a lot to take in and it will be a very hectic next 48 hours.”

Colmont School in Kilmore is heavily reliant on international students, it has suffered greatly during the Covid pandemic.

Jamie Aldridge said his year 11 daughter, Grace, was “beside herself” in the wake of the announcement.

“Hundreds of kids are in limbo,” he said.

“It’s all very odd and my daughter is beside herself.”

Mr Aldridge said questions remained over school fees after his family paid about $15,000 in tuition fees upfront at the beginning of the school year.

The school, which offers specialist programs such as theInternational Baccalaureate (IB), charges $35,350 per year in tuition fees for a year 12 student.

An additional $24,825 fee applies for students who take up accommodation on school grounds.

Mr Aldridge said emotional parents at a meeting held on Wednesday night offered to fork out up to an additional $20,000 in fees to ensure their year 12 students could complete their senior year at the school.

There are about 60 year 12 students at the school who will be sitting their final exams, with the GAT to be held on September 7 and VCE exams approaching in October.

He said Colmont’s financial troubles came as a shock to the school community.

“Teachers at the meeting were in tears saying they would work for free to get the year 12s to the finish line if need be.

“There hasn’t been any chatter of financial troubles. This has come out of the blue.”

Other parents lamented the school’s secrecy and lack of information. “Everyone is scrambling. Very unprofessional people,” one parent said online.

The school offers the International Baccalaureate program in year 12.

A local teacher said the students in year 12 “are in for a real struggle and that the VCAA will need to decide if they are going to offer IB students credits for VCE subjects (I suspect they won’t) thereby forcing students in Y 12 to either repeat or find a school – the nearest is in inner Melbourne.”

VCAA is the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority.

An email from the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority advised parents on Wednesday about the school’s closure and the appointment of the administrators.

“The administrators will decide about how long the school and school boarding premises will continue to operate. When they have made this decision, they will tell you.

“We understand that this will be unexpected and distressing news for your family,” it said.

“If the school closes, you will need to choose an alternative school for your child and enrol your child at that school. Your child is able to attend their designated neighbourhood government school (local school) or another government school of their choice, provided that school has sufficient space to accommodate them.”

Originally published as Parents scrambling after sudden closure of Colmont School in Kilmore