In an open letter to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, head of Clayesmore School Jo Thomson writes: "I want to draw your attention to the damage to communities that the addition of VAT on school fees will inflict." Ms Thomson references the significant number of children at her school who are from military families and those who receive financial support in the form of bursaries and scholarships. "None of these families could ordinarily afford private school fees", she writes, adding examples of the ways in which her school benefits the local community and economy. Urging Labour to reconsider its tax policy for independent schools, Ms Thomson concludes: "Many independent schools, like those mines once were, are the lifeblood of small communities. Policies which undermine their existence will have a devastating impact on the lives of many; and not just the children who attend them."

The Times provides a summary of the key policies in Labour's election manifesto. Labour has committed to removing the VAT and business rates exemptions on all independent schools “straight away” if it wins the General Election. The party would also recruit 6,500 teachers in subjects where there is a shortage of specialists, offer free breakfast clubs for pupils in every primary school and mental health support for those in secondary schools. On childcare, Labour has pledged to create 100,000 places by converting primary school classrooms into nurseries. By Oliver Wright, Chris Smyth and Matt Dathan.

Labour’s proposed tax policy may not be enough to avoid school budget cuts, according to economists who have spoken to iNews. Director of research at the Adam Smith Institute Maxwell Marlow said there is “no money left” and questioned where Labour would find additional funds to “maintain current standards or per pupil funding and index it to inflation”. Luke Sibieta, of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, told the paper that if Labour wishes to “implement a more generous settlement, they’d have to find cuts elsewhere”. By Connie Dimsdale.

A poll by think tank Public First has found Labour’s pledge to hire 6,500 more teachers and the Conservatives’ promise to increase the number of apprenticeships for both young people and older adults are the two education policies with the most support as the General Election nears. Each respondent was shown a pair of policy commitments from a list of 20 and asked to choose which they liked the most and the least, and these policies were then ranked by popularity based on an overall net score. The poll found a net 11 per cent positive response among participants to Labour's tax plans for independent schools. By Jasmine Norden, Tes.

The political editors of iNews answer readers' questions on a range of topical issues that include tax and independent schools. By Jessica Rawnsley.

The Telegraph reports that the parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) could still be impacted by Labour’s VAT on fees policy because of long wait times for paperwork that would exempt them. Labour has said pupils with SEND at independent schools would be exempt from the tax rise where their fees are paid by councils under education, health and care plans (EHCPs). However, figures from the Independent Schools Council (ISC) have shown that just 7,600 pupils at independent schools receiving SEND support currently have EHCPs, while 103,000 do not. ISC CEO Julie Robinson has called for Labour to complete a "full impact assessment" of its plans to evaluate the "unintended consequences" for both independent and state schools. Speaking to the paper, headteacher at Moon Hall School Michelle Catterson said: "Children with a specialist education needs should not be penalised. My wish is for the Labour party to listen to parents with children with SEND and make sure those children are not penalised.” John Stevenson, chairman of governors at Frewen College (a special education school for 130 pupils, of whom 52 do not have EHCPs) told The Telegraph the school’s stretched finances would not be able to absorb the cost of VAT and keep prices the same for parents. By Noah Eastwood, The Telegraph.

Sir William Perkins’s School has announced it will start admitting boys within two years to allow families to be educated together. The school will go fully co-educational by 2030, starting with the phased admission of boys in Years 7 and 12 from September 2026. Debbie Picton, the school's headmistress, has described the decision as "the start of an exciting new chapter in the long history of our school". The article mentions several schools in membership of the ISC's constituent associations. By Poppy Wood, The Telegraph. The story is also covered by James Reynolds for the Daily Mail, in an article citing figures from the ISC in relation to Labour's VAT policy.

Mark Steed, interim principal of Stamford School, calls for better regulation of tutoring to ensure safeguarding standards are maintained. Writing in Tes, Mr Steed suggests the government should establish a central register of tutors "who meet the same standards in terms of qualifications and safeguarding required to teach in a school".

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