Labour's plan to add VAT to independent school fees, and the number of pupils it could displace, was discussed by ISC CEO Julie Robinson in an interview with Sky News yesterday. She said: "[Labour's] estimates rely on no or little pupil movement, so if children are displaced into state schools as suggested by these polls, then actually no money will be raised for state schools through this policy. It is a gamble, and our state colleagues deserve more certainty and more money than this."

Labour’s policy threatens to overwhelm grammar schools, three-quarters of which are already close to capacity, according to The Telegraph. Analysis of public data suggests the policy could make it harder for gifted children to secure places at selective state schools. Andrew Lewer, a Conservative member of the Education Select Committee, said: "The closer you look at Labour’s tax on education, the worse it looks. The impact on SEND children [those with special educational needs], the impact on Armed Forces families and now it is clear grammar schools are adversely impacted as well." By Henry Bodkin and Meike Eijsberg.

The Labour Party's plan to add VAT to school fees faces being challenged in the courts if Sir Keir Starmer wins the General Election. Richard Tice, the Reform UK leader, is assembling a team of lawyers and KCs to fight the "deeply discriminatory" policy, The Telegraph reports. By Dominic Penna.

Some independent school headteachers have warned that staff risk being made redundant under Labour's tax policy, as schools would be forced to make cost efficiencies. Julie Robinson, chief executive of the ISC, said: "Schools will be doing everything they can to protect teachers' jobs - teachers are the most valuable asset that any school has. However, the majority of our schools are small, local community schools who cannot cut their running costs by a fifth nor expect parents to pay the extra 20pc that this policy would put on their fees." By Pieter Snepvangers, The Telegraph.

Speaking to Tom Swarbrick on LBC, Louise Haigh, the shadow transport secretary, said that Labour's VAT policy would not come in before the next Budget. However, she did not rule out the possibility of it being introduced in the middle of the next academic year. By Emma Soteriou.

The Guardian is inviting parents to share their views on Labour's pledge to impose VAT on independent school fees, how it could affect them and their families, and whether the policy has affected their voting intentions for the General Election in July. 

Henry Luce, chair of governors at The Maynard School, writes to The Times concurring with Anthony Seldon's Thunderer piece published yesterday. He questions the idea that independent schools that fail financially will be able to transition to the state sector, and calls on teaching unions to provide more public support to their members "who work in the independent sector and whose jobs are at risk from Labour's VAT and business rates policies". 

In a separate letter, Timothy Straker KC writes: "The education secretary's role is, in consequence of section 10 of the Education Act 1996, to promote the education of the people, ie all the people in England and Wales. How is that promotion to be squared with a policy of taxing education in a way that damages education?" Both letters can be found a quarter of the way down the page. 

Harriet Langdale, director of admissions, marketing and communications at Ampleforth College, considers the impact of Labour's tax plans on military families in receipt of the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA). The blog is accompanied by a testimonial from an Army Officer whose child attends the school with support from the CEA.

In a letter to unions, the education secretary said the government will not publish its response to the School Teachers' Review Body's (STRB) recommendations on teacher pay until after the General Election. The news has been met with criticism from union leaders, with Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU, saying: "The STRB process should have been concluded by now, as per the terms set by Keegan following last year's [pay] dispute. School leaders absolutely need to know what pay award to budget for." By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week. 

The Conservative Party has promised to scrap the "worst-performing" university courses with high drop-out rates and "poor" job prospects to help fund 100,000 apprenticeships per year, if it wins the July election. By Hazel Shearing, BBC News.

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