The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has written to dozen of boarding schools requesting concessions for diplomat parents to help manage fee increases, following the Budget's confirmation that VAT will be added to fees from 1 January 2025. Hundreds of diplomats' children receive government funding to help pay their boarding school fees but this support is capped, and the difference parents are expected to pay is set to rise amid the tax policy. The letter said: “I am enquiring whether you would consider providing a discount to include FCDO families. As you may be aware, FCDO staff and their families are subject to regular movements to and from overseas postings, in the same way as military families. By offering a discount, inclusion on this list would help make your school more attractive to prospective parents.” A spokesperson for the Independent Schools Council (ISC) said: "It is somewhat surprising for the government to ask that it be effectively exempted for the fee rises it has caused. The extra costs to the government are because of the VAT policy it rushed through against the advice of tax and teaching experts." By Poppy Wood, The Telegraph.

The number of enrolment enquiries for state schools in Edinburgh has more than doubled in the past five years, and rapidly increased after Labour announced its proposal to add VAT to schools fees in 2021, statistics released by Edinburgh Council reveal. Miles Briggs, the Scottish Conservative shadow education secretary, said: “Parents all over Edinburgh are anxious on numerous fronts about schooling, and these figures reveal the extent of that.” By Daniel Sanderson, The Telegraph.

A Telegraph View article argues Labour's approach to the VAT on fees policy is a "symptom [of] our two-tier economy". Referencing the FCDO's request for fee discounts for diplomat parents, the article states that "while the government works to shield its own employees, parents working in the private sector will have to bear the full brunt of the [tax]". 

In a House of Commons written question, James Cartlidge, Conservative MP for South Suffolk, asked "whether the additional funding for Continuity of Education Allowance to compensate for introducing VAT on private school fees will come from the Ministry of Defence budget". In response, minister for veterans and people Alistair Carns said: "In line with how the Continuity of Education Allowance normally operates, the Ministry of Defence will continue to pay up to 90% of private school fees following the VAT changes on 1 January."

In a House of Lords question to the Treasury, Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie asked "whether providers offering Level 6 qualifications funded through the Dance and Drama Awards scheme will attract VAT". Lord Livermore replied, saying: "Higher level qualifications, including Level 6, will remain exempt from VAT."

Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee asked what consideration the government has given "to the provisions of section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (as amended) around the impact of their decision to impose VAT on school fees". In response, Lord Livermore said: "VAT is a reserved tax and the VAT changes will apply uniformly across the UK. Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 is not engaged by this policy." Hansard.

The number of children in their last year of primary school who are classed as being underweight is increasing, according to NHS data in England published on Tuesday. 1.3 per cent of children in Year 6 were underweight in 2009-2010, and this has risen to 1.7 per cent in 2023-2024. In contrast, one in five children in Year 6 were considered obese in 2023-2024, and 13.8 per cent were overweight. Professor Simon Kenny, NHS England’s national clinical director for children and young people, said: “The NHS cannot solve this alone and continued action from industry, local and national government, and wider society together with the NHS is essential to help create a healthy nation.” By Holly Bancroft, The Independent.

A report by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) has found no evidence of improved Key Stage 1 or KS2 reading results since the national phonics screening check (PSC) was introduced in 2012. The EPI looked into the effectiveness of the PSC to determine if it was meeting its original purpose to improve early reading development. The report also found no sign of the PSC having narrowed attainment gaps between pupils by the end of primary school. The EPI has asked the Department for Education to conduct a “fresh, transparent, evidence-informed review of whether the phonics screening check is an effective national intervention that helps children learn to read”. Cerys Turner, Tes.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has called for the government to replace GCSE maths resits with a new foundation level course, warning the “bar is unachievably high” for some pupils to pass. According to a report by the organisation, England's share of young people studying maths up to age 18 is among the lowest of the OECD's 38 member countries, in part due to “limited range” of options for continuing the subject in post-16 education. By Billy Camden, Schools Week. 

In the latest ISC blog for Partnerships Week, Lisa Irwin, head of community partnerships and outreach at Emanuel School, explains how a multi-pronged collaboration with a local primary school is providing enriching opportunities for staff and pupils across several year groups.

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