British Academy of Jewellery closes courses with immediate effect

A specialist provider of jewellery courses is closing with immediate effect, leaving hundreds of students scrambling to find alternative options to finish their degrees.

The British Academy of Jewellery (BAJ) was issued a wind-up order on 4 August according to Companies House, with a liquidator now appointed.

According to a notice by the Office for Students (OfS), up to 220 students at the BAJ across its sites in London, Birmingham, Leicester and Sheffield have been told their higher education courses are now shut.

These students were studying primarily undergraduate and postgraduate in-person courses and online programmes in jewellery-making, business, and management, with those undertaking the BA (Hons) Jewellery Design and Production course able to transfer to BAJ’s awarding body, Kingston University, to continue their degree.

Kingston University will also provide support on alternative study options or students can withdraw from the course and request an award of credit, the OfS said.

Those studying for courses validated by the provider Pearson, meanwhile, have been promised “good information, advice and guidance about their options for continuing their studies”.

The situation will spotlight existing concerns about how small and specialist providers facing difficulties in a severe financial climate protect students’ interests and handle closures.

A report by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) last year urged greater legal protections for students impacted by such circumstances, concluding that the higher education sector “remains largely unprepared” for university closures.

BAJ was founded in 1999, originally as the Holts Academy. It changed to its current name in 2017, and only three years ago increased its course provision and opened new campuses in Camden and Euston.

But its last few years have been disruptive. Last year, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), now Qualifications Scotland, suspended new starts to a diploma offered by the provider over concerns about its financial stability. This suspension was lifted in November 2025.

It has also been impacted by the loss of strategic priorities funding for arts and creative subjects. Last years cuts to this grant resulted in a loss of income of 44 per cent for BAJ. Earlier this year, BAJ was put up for sale after its parent company, London-based Free To Learn, went bust. It was later bought back by its original owner, though at a cut price.

In its latest accounts, for the financial year ended July 2025, BAJ achieved a surplus of £591,859, though noted that it had “faced significant challenges” and was intending to “strengthen” its resilience by “progressively building cash reserves”.

Louise Baxter and Wayne Macpherson have now been appointed to liquidate the institution’s assets. Both work for insolvency practice BTG Begbies Traynor.

The BAJ and its liquidators have been contacted for comment.

Deonne Rowland, deputy director of financial sustainability at the OfS, said: “This will be really difficult news for students at the BAJ. Our priority is to make sure their interests are safeguarded and that they understand their options.”

Rowland added: “We have been working closely with the academy and its partners to ensure students have the information, advice, and guidance they need to continue their studies with an alternative higher education provider.”

georgia.luckhurst@timeshighereducation.com