Immanuel College deal signed off as new chair takes helm
The Bushey school had been due to close this summer before a group of parents led an unprecedented fundraising drive
The deal to save Immanuel College has officially been rubberstamped by its now former board.
Governors had announced plans to shut the private school at the end of the summer term after a series of financial challenges, combined with falling enrolment, left it seemingly unsustainable.
But a group of parents – Annabel and Lee Sheldon, Claudia and Robby Salem, Davinia and Jeremy Teacher – led a unprecedented campaign to save the 35-year-old institution, raising a staggering £12m in just nine days.
On Friday, after chair Daniel Levy handed over the reigns to Global Educational Systems founder Aaron Etingen, the group said: “Immanuel College is far more than a school. It is a place where children grow in confidence, form lifelong friendships and feel a true sense of belonging, and importantly where a strong Jewish identity is built, alongside a deep love for Israel. We were determined to do everything we could to protect that.
“Throughout this process, we have been grateful for the open, collaborative approach and the ongoing communication with Daniel Levy and the governing board. Their dedication to the school over many years is something we and others deeply appreciate. We would like to thank all of the donors and benefactors for their huge generosity in helping to make this miracle happen.
“We are truly proud of the exceptional incoming team led by Aaron Etingen and feel so much optimism and confidence in the direction ahead.”
Thanking the school’s teachers during the period of uncertainty, they added: “This outcome ensures that current and future pupils will continue to experience everything that makes Immanuel College so special, while opening the door to a future filled with renewed energy, ambition and opportunity. It marks not just continuity, but the beginning of a powerful new chapter for the school and its community.”
Director of Jewish Life and Learning, Rabbi Yoni Golker, said: “We are awake and yet we are all dreaming of a school with a sensational future. Our mission remains clear: to educate and inspire young people who embody Torah and derech eretz; who live with integrity, kindness and responsibility; for the best academic outcomes, who are proudly Jewish and ready to lead and contribute to society at large.”
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