Specialist education provider Cavendish Education has purchased the former Belmont School at Holmbury St Mary, near Dorking, which was put on the market in March with a guide price of £7 million.

For the past 70 years, Belmont operated as a co-educational day and boarding school with a nursery, prep and senior school. Cavendish Education plans to open a new independent school on the site catering specifically for neurodiverse children and young people.

The site includes 14 buildings used as teaching and boarding accommodation, dining hall, theatre, sports hall, early years centre, headmaster’s house, as well as various outbuildings. The school grounds extend to more than 44-acres and includes two hard surfaced playing areas, playing fields, formal gardens, woodland, as well as outdoor tennis courts and a heated outdoor swimming pool.

A Grade II listed property on the site was originally built as a country house, called Feldemore for Edwin Waterhouse, co-founder of the accountancy practice Price Waterhouse. The house was requisitioned by the British Army during the Second World War and, after that was leased for 10 years by the Admiralty. The building was constructed around 1880, partly of Bargate stone and retains many of its architectural period features, including original William Morris wallpaper in the dining room

Cavendish Education has announced plans to undertake restoration and renovation work on some of the buildings and areas of the site, ensuring the facilities meet the specific needs of its pupils while preserving the site’s historical significance.

Simon Coles, chief executive of Cavendish Education said: “We are absolutely delighted to have acquired this fantastic school site and can’t wait to share our plans with everyone. Our family of schools is dedicated to celebrating and nurturing neurodiverse students who think and learn differently.

“The demand for more schools like ours is growing, and we are excited to open a specialist independent provision here, meaning we can do more for even more young people who may have previously struggled in the mainstream system but could thrive with a different approach.

“Alongside our academic curriculum we will offer enrichment in sports, technology, the arts, and outdoor education. With such excellent facilities here already, we’re incredibly excited to start preparations and look forward to opening our doors to pupils in the near future.”

Property advisor Knight Frank facilitated the sale on behalf of Glen Carter and Phillip Sykes of RSM UK Restructuring Advisory, who were appointed joint administrators of Belmont School (Feldemore) Educational Trust.

Cavendish Education now has a portfolio to 16 schools across London, Hampshire, Kent, Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Cambridgeshire and the East Midlands.

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