St Joseph's College Faces Closure: What Next?

St Joseph's College, the Catholic independent school on Upper Redlands Road in East Reading that has taught pupils since 1894, has begun a consultation and could close on Friday 10 July if no viable solution is found.

The college sits in the Redlands ward of Reading Borough, inside Matt Rodda's constituency. Rodda, the Labour MP for Reading Central, and Yuan Yang, Labour MP for Earley and Woodley, are working with families and councils to support affected pupils.

Rodda said: "Following the news about plans to close St Joseph's College, we would like to help families and young people who are affected.

"Since the announcement, we have been in contact with the College and with Reading Borough Council, and we hope that students and families can be supported at this difficult time.

"We understand that there may be places at a number of other local schools, and we hope that arrangements can be made as soon as possible to provide these and to reassure young people and their families."

Yang said: "Since the announcement, we have started reaching out to Reading and Wokingham Borough Councils to find ways forward for students.

"We understand that there may be places available at a number of other local schools, and we hope that arrangements can be made as soon as possible to provide these and to reassure young people and their families."

The Labour government has been criticised for removing the VAT exemption on private school fees last year, meaning families now pay 20 per cent VAT on each term of private tuition. The change was a manifesto pledge in 2024 and is expected to raise £1.5 billion a year, reinvested in the state education system.

Tax revenue has been used to recruit 6,500 teachers and create 3,000 new and expanded school-based nurseries across England by upgrading spare spaces in primary schools. In Reading the money has helped set up free breakfast clubs at Caversham Park Primary School and St Anne's Catholic Primary School, the latter of which Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer visited last November.

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter