PARENTS have launched a last-ditch effort to prevent the closure of a Greenock independent school by raising more than £50,000 in just five days.

Bosses at Cedars School on Ardgowan Square are set to meet on Tuesday (today) to make a crunch decision whether the establishment has a viable future.

In a statement to the Telegraph, school board chair Jennifer Offord said there were a ‘multitude of considerations’ around the establishment’s future, including the new Labour Government’s decision to start adding value-added tax (VAT) onto private school fees from January next year.

The school, which is operated by Greenock-based charity Struthers Memorial Church, describes itself as an “aspirational community founded on Christian values and ethos” open to pupils from “all faiths and none”.

But a group of parents is asking the school board to consider guaranteeing the educational institute’s future for another year so they can raise enough money to keep it afloat.

Martin Shaw, whose stepdaughter attends the school, has been involved in organising the donation drive.

He told the Telegraph that parents and other benefactors would work hard to save the establishment if they were given more time.

He said: “We were told on Thursday that the decision hadn’t been made but everybody read the scene and thought it had been made, it was just being kept back from us.

“I went through a lot of the parents through WhatsApp and we’ve were able to raise almost £50,000 that would be put into the school funds so we had a chance to survive.

“We’re asking the board to give a parents group a chance to raise more, but there would have to be a one-year extension.

“The VAT increase isn’t what’s caused this.

“The fact is they’ve lost a number of pupils, whether that’s because of VAT or whatever, their plan was based on a higher number of pupils.

“We as families have already got £50k organised now and if we had to get another £50k-£60k by February or March we’d do it.

“One benefactor has contacted me today to commit £10,000, maybe £20,000, so that takes our total even higher.

“The church has to be recognised for being so charitable, in last couple of years the amount of money they have put towards the school is incredible and that shouldn’t be forgotten.”

When the Telegraph contacted the school board for comment on the future of Cedars, they outlined a number of factors which were explained to parents at last week’s meeting.

These included recognition of the fact that Struthers would not be able to absorb the cost of a VAT-related fee increase due to it having insufficient reserves and a continuing drop in the school’s roll, which was down to 76 prior to the VAT announcement.

On the imposition of VAT, they said: “The timing of the ‘surprise’ General Election and the announcement two weeks ago, within four weeks of being elected, that the Government would implement their manifesto pledge with effect from January 1 took most commentators by surprise. 

“Implementing the VAT change halfway through the academic year impacts even the deepest of pockets.

“Accordingly with the school’s educational aspirations uppermost in mind, primary consideration needs to be given to pupils in their national examination years of S3 to S6.

“We felt it imperative to allow parents the opportunity to indicate if they could afford the fee increase in January. 

“A meeting of parents took place last Thursday and responses to that question have been returning to the school office over the weekend.”

Inverclyde’s Labour MP Martin McCluskey told the Telegraph he had met with some of those involved to discuss the situation.

He added: “I appreciate this is a difficult time for the parents and children affected.

“While I understand that there is speculation the school might close, no decision has been taken.

“I met with the leadership of the school on Friday morning to discuss their position, which I understand has been challenging for some time. I have also met with some of the parents affected.

“Labour was clear during the election that we could no longer justify tax breaks for private schools while our state schools lacked much needed investment.

“The cost of the VAT tax break for private schools is over £1bn a year.

“By ending the tax break for private schools, we will release £150million that can be invested in state schools across Scotland.

“Some have suggested that this policy has come as a surprise, but it has been Labour policy for many years, and was re-announced last January.

“We were clear in our manifesto that if we won the election we would deliver on this pledge.

“Many private schools have made preparations to respond to this, including through use of their own reserves or through an increase in fees.

“I have been in touch with the director of education at Inverclyde Council who has assured me that there are places available in Inverclyde schools for any child who is affected by any decision the school may make to close.

“The council has also offered to support families through the enrolment process.”