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Guidance for independent schools on Labour’s VAT policy ‘full of errors’
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Independent sector
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The latest guidance for independent schools concerning VAT on fees is riddled with mistakes and “effectively does not make sense”, tax experts have warned. David Gage, head of VAT at Old Mill, claims the document published by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) contradicts itself and has not been “properly thought through or proofed”. Mairéad Warren de Búrca, managing director with Alvarez & Marsal Tax, highlights the pressure the tax office is under, adding: “The implementation period is ludicrous. They are being asked to pull out all of the possible issues. They don’t work in private schools so they are trying to guess what those issues might be and then they are making mistakes in their public documents.” Pieter Snepvangers, The Telegraph.
The government's refusal to exempt military families from its VAT policy could cause service personnel to quit, shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge has warned. Speaking in Parliament on Monday, defence secretary John Healey would not agree to exempt military families from the policy. By Alix Culbertson, Sky News.
Alastair Chirnside, warden of St Edward’s School in Oxford, was interviewed by iNews about how independent schools support state schools through mutually beneficial partnerships. “No school sets out to pay lip service; they work with state partners because they believe in doing so,” he says. Suggesting that the government should consider formalising partnerships between the two sectors instead of imposing VAT on fees, Mr Chirnside adds: “I think they’d be surprised to discover that in many cases they’re only formalising what is already in place.” By Anna Tyzack.
In an article for The Telegraph, Peter Kingston warns that Labour's tax policy "could destroy a 1,000-year legacy of priceless choral education". Alastair Tighe, head of Wells Cathedral School, reflects on the impact of the policy on pupil numbers, saying: "We will see successive future generations of children unable to realise their talent and potential in the way their predecessors have done." Yvette Day, head of King's College School, Cambridge and chair of the Choir Schools' Association, is also quoted, warning: "There is no doubt in my mind that if choir schools are placed under any threat of existence, the whole tradition of English choral music will be at risk."
Stephen White, a father of four whose children attend an independent faith school, has joined a group of Christian schools and families taking legal action against the government's VAT on fees policy. Mr White says state school "isn't an option" for his family, adding: "If fees go up again and we can’t pay it, then the only option will be home schooling. It would be a major change in terms of reducing my hours at work." The group is preparing to launch a judicial review against the policy, arguing it is in breach of human rights law. Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: “Labour must row back on this policy urgently. If they don’t, we will have no choice but to pursue every legal avenue in the pursuit of justice and protection of independent Christian schools in this country.” By Adam Forrest, iNews.
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Concerns raised over children ‘doom scrolling’ for hours a day
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Mobile phones
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Josh MacAlister, the Labour MP for Whitehaven and Workington, will introduce a private members' bill in Parliament on Wednesday on keeping children safe from harms caused by a high amount of screen time. The bill, which aims to empower parents and teachers to reduce children’s daily screen time, proposes a legal requirement for all schools to become mobile-free zones in England. Mr MacAlister, a former teacher who led an independent review into children’s social care for the former government, said: "The evidence is mounting that children doom scrolling for hours a day is causing widespread harm. We need the equivalent of the ‘seatbelt’ legislation for social media use for children." By Eleanor Busby, The Independent.
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EHCP funds ‘less than half’ of what is required, say 3 in 5 school staff
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SEND
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The Tes SEND report 2024 has revealed concerns about funding for education, health and care plans (EHCPs) and the increasingly difficult task of meeting pupils' needs. The findings, published today, show four out of five staff say their school does not have enough money to meet the needs of students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Three in five say the funding they receive for EHCPs is less than 50 per cent of what is needed. According to the report, the most repeated reason given for this “is that the local authority believes that the identified level of support can be delivered for a lower cost than suggested”. By John Roberts.
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Campaigner calls for black history to be made mandatory in England
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Teaching and learning
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Lavinya Stennett, founder of the Black Curriculum, has warned of the risks of black history being consigned to one month out of the year, or solely being taught in schools with diverse students and in metropolitan areas. She suggests the riots that broke out in England and Northern Ireland over the summer were the result of failures to ensure that diverse teaching is widespread and available to all, adding that "racism will be fuelled" unless black history is made mandatory in schools. By Aamna Mohdin, The Guardian.
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The Independent Schools Council (ISC) monitors the national and educational press in order to keep independent schools up-to-date with relevant education news. The DNS is a service primarily for schools in membership of ISC associations, although other interested parties can choose to sign-up. We endeavour to include relevant news and commentary and, wherever possible, notable public letters. Where capacity allows, we may include links to ISC blogs, press statements and information about school or association events. News stories are selected based on their relevance to the independent sector as a whole. Editorial control of the DNS remains solely with the ISC.
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Members can contact the ISC if they know in advance of news, letters or opinions that are likely to feature in the media, or are aware of existing coverage which they would like to see featured in the DNS.
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