The Labour Party's pledge to tax independent school fees could cost mid-ranking soldiers an extra £3,000 a year and jeopardise troop retention just as the prospect of conflict increases, the Sunday Express reports. Mark Taylor, bursar of The King's School, Canterbury and a former major in the Royal Dragoon Guards, is quoted, saying: "My father was posted in Germany with a tank regiment and he certainly could not have afforded for me to go to boarding school in England without the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA)." Outlining the benefits provided by the CEA, he added: "We have some of the best boarding schools in the world which provide the most wonderful pastoral care, and CEA is seen as one of the great benefits of a military career." Mark Lascelles, head of Dauntsey’s School, is also quoted, saying: “Most of the military children that reach us at the age of 11 have already been in six or seven schools in their short lives. What they really need is stability.” He added: "Labour claims to be the party of the Armed Forces. If they did have the Armed Forces’ backs, they would look after Armed Forces families." Chief executive of the Independent Schools Council (ISC) Julie Robinson told the paper: “Moving from school to school leaves its mark on children, and sometimes the posting is somewhere where it is not safe to bring your family. Parents who serve the Crown need access to boarding schools and to know the fees will be covered. What we want is an exemption from VAT for children for military and diplomatic families who are supported by the CEA.” By Marco Giannangeli.

A mother who served in the armed forces for almost 25 years has warned Sir Keir Starmer her child will have to leave Pinewood School should the party's tax policy come info effect. Marie Gardner said she confronted the Labour leader and his team during a visit to Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard on 5 June and said: “Look my son in the eye and explain why you are about to ruin his chances for the education that he is thriving in." Julie Robinson told the paper: “Schools and families certainly need clarity on Labour’s proposals – they cannot plan based on headlines. At the same time, there is great uncertainty about whether the policy will do what it is designed to do: there is a real possibility it will not raise any money for state education.” By Pieter Snepvangers, The Telegraph.

Parents forced to withdraw their children from independent schools ahead of a potential Labour government face a black hole of “outstanding” state schools in their local area, according to analysis by The Telegraph. The investigation found that in more than 12 local authorities across England with a relatively high proportion of independent schools, there are few state schools rated highly by Ofsted. Reiterating the ISC's call for Labour to carefully consider its plans, Julie Robinson said: “Our concern around pupil movement remains that there might not be the right spaces in the right places for children whose education is disrupted by this policy. Independent schools play a vital part in their community’s education ecosystem and we are particularly worried about how a tax on education might impact local special educational needs and disabilities provision.” By Noah Eastwood and Ollie Corfe.

Peter McNabb, headteacher of St Dominic's Grammar School, Brewood, has told BBC News he expects pupils to leave and take up places in the state sector. Mr McNabb warned: "There's no business which would be able to afford a 20 per cent reduction in their income. Sadly, that is going to have to be passed on. As a result it may be that some parents cannot afford to bring their children into our school and so would have to leave and go into the state school sector, which is already struggling." By Emma Thomas.

In an interview with The Telegraph, education secretary Gillian Keegan said Labour's tax policy is "reckless" and that the party “does not care” about children. Referencing comments made last week by the shadow attorney general, Ms Keegan added: "They say about how ‘it doesn’t matter if class sizes get bigger’. It matters to the teachers and it matters to the children. So they might not think it matters but it does matter." By Camilla Turner.

The Observer reports that the number of pupils attending independent schools in England has risen, despite claims that families are being priced out by Labour's pledge to add VAT to school fees. According to new data published by the Department for Education (DfE) last week, as of this January, the number of pupils in independent schools in England was 593,486, up from 591,954 the year before and an increase of 24,150 on 2020-21. Commenting on the figures, Julie Robinson said: “The statistics from the Department for Education represent England only and take in all independent schools across one country. ISC represents just over 1,400 independent schools across all nations of the UK, which account for around 80% of the number of total pupils educated in independent schools. Our data will therefore differ from the DfE’s and our concerns around pupil numbers reflect what we are hearing from our schools.” By Julie Henry.

Amanda Spielman has warned that Labour’s proposed tax policy could force "vulnerable children" to leave their current schools. In her first comments on the party's plans, the former head of Ofsted said: “It’s creating uncertainty for a lot of children who really need certainty and need a lot of high quality provision.” Michelle Catterson, head of Moon Hall School, Reigate and chair of the British Dyslexia Association, said that many parents turn to the independent sector because of the difficulties in obtaining an education health and care plan (EHCP), meaning Labour's plans risk "punishing" those families that don’t have affordability "yet again". The article repeats a warning from Ms Robinson that Labour’s VAT plans could have unintended consequences for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and “pour fuel on a fire that is already very much ablaze”. By Elizabeth Ivens and Poppy Wood, The Telegraph.

A number of parents have spoken to The Telegraph about their fears around Labour's VAT policy. One says the plans could mean his family moving to home schooling but warns "this will be damaging to [the children] and their mental health". Another expresses her gratitude for the financial support provided to her child in the form of a bursary, but cautions: “An extra 20 per cent would work out at £4,000 a year. Money is very tight, and this would be a complete non-starter. It would not be at all affordable.” A father outlines his concern that Labour's policy will not only impact hard-working families, but could also fail to achieve its stated goals. He tells the paper: "There’s an exodus of teachers from the profession and schools can’t fill the vacancies they’ve got – so what benefit is creating more vacancies?” By Mattie Brignal. The paper asks: Are you having to borrow from the bank, a loved one or your property to pay school fees? We want to hear from you, email: money@telegraph.co.uk. 

The Sunday Times talks to several independent schools in membership of the ISC's constituent associations about their reactions to Labour's tax plans as the General Election nears. By Sian Griffiths.

The Telegraph features the open letter written by Jo Thomson to Sir Keir Starmer, in which the headteacher of Clayesmore School suggests the potential effect of Labour's tax proposals on rural areas could be similar to the damage inflicted on former mining communities following pit closures in the 1980s. The article also quotes Nick Pietrek, head of Stafford Grammar School, who says parents in more affluent areas of the country may be more easily able to afford fee rises under a potential Labour government, while those in the North and elsewhere beyond London would be more likely to struggle. By Poppy Wood and Genevieve Holl-Allen.

In a letter to The Sunday Telegraph, CEO of the Independent Schools Association (ISA) Rudolf Eliott Lockhart calls on the Labour Party to reconsider its school fee tax plans. On behalf of the 660 schools in membership of the ISA, Mr Eliott Lockhart writes: "Schools within the ISA confound the stereotype of what an independent school is. Most of our members are smaller and specialist schools, and these will be hardest hit by Labour’s policy to impose VAT on fees. We are concerned that Labour has ignored the diverse reality of our schools." Highlighting the impact on children at both independent and state schools, as well as the wider community, he adds: "Surely there are more effective ways to raise the funding that the state sector so desperately needs, and for independent schools to increase their support for state schools. Why not work with the independent sector and our association?" The letter appears half-way down the page.

Charles Sharp, housemaster at St Lawrence College, writes to The Telegraph urging Labour to "reconsider the wider potential damage this policy may inflict". He adds: "Many of our boarding schools provide work for hundreds of people from a variety of backgrounds and skill sets, often in coastal or rural communities where large-scale employment can be sparse. Adding 20 per cent onto the fees of independent boarding schools is going to put a lot of this at risk."

Using the example of Christ's Hospital to illustrate the role played by independent schools in furthering social mobility, a reader warns: "All the charity’s income comes from endowments and donations; it is clear that these cannot suddenly increase by 20 per cent." In a separate letter to the paper, Declan Salter concludes: "Surely Labour’s intention cannot have been to reduce the number of young people from challenging backgrounds who are, without doubt, granted a life-enhancing educational opportunity through Christ’s Hospital. But this will be the consequence of such a policy."

In another letter raising concerns over Labour's tax policy, David Wedgwood from Suffolk asks: "Does Sir Keir Starmer really want to be remembered as the man whose first priority was to disrupt the education of thousands of children by charging VAT on private school fees?" This, and the previous two letters, can be found at the top of the same page.

Gillian Powell from Shropshire has written to The Telegraph outlining her concerns over Labour's tax policy, citing her own experience of sending her daughter to an independent school. She writes: "Based on the average state spending per pupil, I estimate that we saved the Government approximately £100,000. Parents who educate their children privately are assisting the taxpayer quite enough already, without the added burden of VAT." The letter appears just above half-way.

In one of a number of letters to The Times on the subject of Labour's tax policy, a reader considers the "upheaval" that Labour's plans could cause to teenagers who are "at a most vulnerable stage in their lives". Frances Stott writes: "It seems extraordinary that, so far, this potential effect has not been addressed or even considered." Former primary school headteacher Janet Airlie warns: "A good education is a foundation for life and will benefit society for ever; by contrast, the ripple effects of charging VAT on independent school fees will be immeasurable in both the private and public sectors." The letters appear at the top of the page.

Pupils at "top" English independent schools have more than 10 times as much outdoor space as those who go to state schools, according to analysis by The Guardian. Using publicly available information, alongside satellite tools to map school buildings and green space, the analysis established that the average pupil at one of England’s wealthiest independent schools has access to approximately 322 square metres of green space, whereas the average state school student has access to about 32 square metres of green space: a ratio of 10:1. By Helena Horton, Pamela Duncan, Zeke Hunter-Green, Bibi van der Zee and Andrew Gregory.

A separate article in The Guardian explores the offerings of the 10 largest independent schools (by area), as well as the ways in which these schools share their grounds and facilities with state school pupils. By Helena Horton. 

Children need to learn to make and mend for their own fulfilment, according to Amanda Spielman, the former head of Ofsted. In a speech to headteachers held at Downe House School last week, Ms Spielman said: “Making and mending clothes, growing food, keeping farm animals, swathes of food preparation such as preserving — many children or even most will have no direct experience of these." By Nicola Woolcock, The Times.

Michael Hepburn, director of Debate Hub at South Hampstead High School GDST, explains how bringing pupils from feeder schools together to debate big issues can be "a brilliant way of creating links". Describing the tried-and-tested format that is used by his school to encourage others to get involved, Mr Hepburn says: "There’s no denying that running a debate competition takes a bit of time and effort. But not nearly as much as you might think and, once you have run one, it’s a very easy annual event to replicate." Tes.

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