Labour's plan to impose VAT on independent school fees could drive some families to leave the UK, potentially leading to unintended financial consequences, experts have said. Russell Gous, editor-in-chief of TopMoneyCompare, has warned that while some families are considering overseas options, the "attractive option" may carry greater financial implications than they are trying to move away from. He said: “Relocation costs will fluctuate depending on exchange rates... [that] are notoriously volatile, and a weakening of the pound could dramatically increase the cost of moving abroad." By Samantha Leathers, Daily Express.

Writing in Metro, Aneesa Shariff explains why she and her husband chose an independent prep school for their children and shares her concerns over Labour's tax policy, which she feels is "penalising us for wanting the best for our children". Appreciating the need to increase funding for state schools, the clinical psychologist says the policy is "the definition of reverse discrimination", adding: "This doesn’t need to be a competition. Children are not statistics, they are individuals – each with their own unique stories." 

During Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) in the House of Commons yesterday, Conservative MP for Leicester East Shivani Raja said: "The Prime Minister's decision to impose VAT on independent schools strips hard-working families of the ability to choose what is best for their children, while risking job losses for teachers, increasing class sizes and squeezing state school resources to their absolute limit. What action is he taking to mitigate these impending threats if he is not undertaking an impact assessment to understand them?"

Prime minister Keir Starmer replied: "I do understand that many parents across the country save hard to be able to send their children to private school because they have aspiration for their children, but so does every parent who sends their children to a state school. The problem is that we do not have enough teachers in key subjects in our state secondary schools. The Conservative party may be prepared to tolerate that, but I am not. That is why we have made this change to fund 6,500 teachers. They chunter on, but they have to answer the question that none of them is answering. If they are not going to make this change, are they going to leave our state secondaries without the teachers they need? Or are they going to cut the education budget by £1.5 billion? Which is it?" Hansard.

In letters to The Telegraph, readers comment on Labour's plans to impose VAT on independent school fees. Responding to recent reports that the Treasury is considering exempting the children of military service personnel, Michael Meadowcroft from Durham says this "will mean nothing if the schools lose their main market and close". Mike Scott-Hayward from Fife suggests "it’s time to change the terminology from 'parents who pay for private education' to 'parents who educate their children at no cost to the state'." Londoner Philip Womack, who argues the policy "will do more harm than good", explains that he has tried to contact the prime minister on the subject of taxing fees, but "neither he nor his office has even acknowledged receipt, let alone replied". Surrey-based Jean Martin reflects on the success of numerous independently educated individuals, and says: "Labour is going to ruin the nation’s education and the futures of lots of children if it continues with these short-sighted plans." 

The letters appear at the top of the page.

Primary schools in England struggling with falling pupil numbers could be forced to run mixed-age classes amid financial pressures, according to a report from the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER). The report has predicted the percentage of primary school places that are unfilled will rise from 12 per cent to 16 per cent over the next five years. ITV News.

In an article for Independent School Management Plus, Luke Ramsden advises schools on how best to prepare for potential changes in safeguarding guidance in light of the Department for Education's call for evidence earlier this year. With regard to artificial intelligence (AI), Mr Ramsden says: "Policies regarding AI use in schools will need to be continually updated to keep pace with developments, and the DfE will need to stay agile in responding to this ever-changing landscape." Luke Ramsden is a senior deputy head at an independent school in the UK.

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