King William’s College (KWC) and The Buchan School have been handed a repayable £2.2m grant from the Government for its campus plans.

The campus improvements have already seen the opening of a new Fourth Form Centre, upgrades to boys’ boarding accommodation, and the strategic relocation of classrooms and offices.

The upgrades are paving the way for one of the most significant changes in the school’s history with the move of The Buchan School to the KWC campus.

A key milestone was reached earlier this year with the sale of The Buchan School’s current Westhill site to local developer Hartford Homes, a move which marked a significant development in the school’s campus consolidation project.

The scheme which was first proposed in January 2024 and aims to ensure financial stability in the future.

Now KWC has secured the fully repayable grant from the Department for Enterprise (DfE). The repayable grant of £2.2m has to be paid back within five years, with interest calculated at 1% above base rate interest from year three. The DfE says the grant has been given due in part to the school being a significant employer on the island.

This support will assist with construction costs associated with the school’s campus consolidation project.

The offer of the fully repayable grant was received and formally accepted by the Governing Body at its meeting on Friday, April 4, following an application under the DfE’s Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS).

King William’s College and The Buchan School is a significant employer in the south of the island, sustaining close to 200 jobs.

Chairman of Governors Peter Clucas is delighted the school has received the grant which will be crucial moving forward.

He said: ‘This is a fully repayable grant rather than a gift or subsidy. The funding enables us to move forward with an important capital investment project that underpins the school’s long-term financial sustainability.

‘We are grateful for the support from the Department for Enterprise through the application process.’

The project will consolidate and enhance the school’s facilities, supporting transformational change to meet the school’s sustainable business plan and financial forecast.

The works are being carried out by local contractors ensuring the investment benefits the wider community.

Enabling works for the project are already underway while the school will confirm the construction schedule with contractors this week, working towards a completion date later this year.

An update will be provided at the start of the summer term, and it is hoped that tours of the site will be available during the School’s Open Day on Monday, May 5.

Mr Clucas believes the plans put in place will secure the long-term viability of the island’s only private educational institution which will help mitigate the VAT charges added to private school fees introduced by the UK Government which impacts KWC.

He said: ‘This investment represents an important step forward for King William’s College and The Buchan School.

‘It ensures that we can continue to deliver an exceptional education while supporting the island’s prosperity and long-term future.’

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