We are thrilled to announce that the former St Michael’s College near Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, is set to reopen as an educational establishment. The site has been purchased by the newly formed St Michael’s Abbey School, backed by the American-Chinese private educational institution, Sias University.
Our agency team acted on behalf of the owner to facilitate the sale. The site includes the striking Grade II* listed main building which was famously used as a location for the 1986 TV film The Worst Witch, starring Diana Rigg and Tim Curry. The property also features 13 other buildings, including a former sports hall, boarding houses, and educational blocks, all set within 22.76 acres.
The new owners plan to refurbish the site, with an expected opening for the 2025/26 academic year. St Michael’s Abbey School will offer secondary education from Year 9 upwards, as well as sixth-form education for both UK and international students. The school will provide both day and boarding facilities.
Dr. Shawn C, Chairman of St Michael’s Abbey School, said: “We have purchased the school with a foundation and heritage rooted in British aristocratic culture, renowned for its long history and outstanding educational background. Our educational philosophy is to combine internationalisation with localisation, preserving the essence of traditional British education while adapting to the trends of globalisation.”
Lily Colton, Chief Executive of St Michael’s Abbey School, expressed her excitement: “We are extremely pleased to work with Fisher German to purchase St Michael’s College. It is a very attractive site with an interesting history and a beautiful main building which will make a very nice learning environment for our students. We will be opening a high-quality private school to both UK and international students and intend to make our fees affordable for those within the local community. The school has not been in use for several years, and we now have a significant amount of work to do to refurbish the site ahead of opening in September 2025. We aim to become a major employer in the area and will soon be engaging with the local community to fill a wide variety of vacancies at the school.”
One of our partners, Tom Pike, based at our Worcester office, who led the sale, said: “We are extremely pleased to complete the sale of St Michael’s College. It is fantastic that the school is going to be given a new lease of life as an educational establishment to make good use of the property, particularly the Grade II* Listed St Michael’s College building. It will be an excellent asset for Tenbury Wells and the surrounding areas, providing high-quality schooling as well as a range of employment opportunities.”
Our agency team acted as agents for the owners of the college, Naoo Investments Ltd, with property consultancy Moore Development Management appointed to manage the planning and disposal of the school on behalf of the owners. Nicholas Fry, Director of Naoo Investment Ltd, reflected on the sale: “This marks the end of a long and happy association that the Fry family have had with both the college and the wider community. We are very grateful for all of the support we have received from the community since my father originally purchased the site in 1989. We wish the new owners every success in re-establishing the school.”
St Michael’s College originally started life in the 19th century as a choir school for boys, founded by English composer Sir Frederick Ouseley. It closed in 1985 due to financial difficulties, reopened in 1990 as an independent international boarding school, but was forced to close again in June 2020 due to the pandemic.
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