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Daily News Summary
21 October 2024

VAT policy expected to cost Foreign Office an extra £1m
HofC written question: Independent schools and SEND
Allow trans teachers to use same facilities as female colleagues, says NGA
'Even in 2024, homophobic language is still a problem'
A closer look at concerns around SEND spending
Use half-term break to catch up on children's vaccinations, parents told

VAT policy expected to cost Foreign Office an extra £1m

 

Labour’s VAT on school fees policy will cost the Foreign Office an extra £1 million this year, ministers have admitted. They have not specified why the change would lead to a rise in costs, but The Telegraph suggests it would follow that an increase in fees for diplomats would need to be compensated as allowances have risen with costs in recent years. Reference is made to the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA), which covers up to 90 per cent of boarding school fees for diplomatic and military families. Dame Harriett Baldwin told the paper: “Labour has now admitted that its education tax is going to cost the Foreign Office millions of pounds every year. In the midst of global danger and insecurity, raiding the Foreign Office budget to pay for ideological politics is unjustifiable." By Amy Gibbons. Also covered by Max Kendix for The Times

The King's School, an independent faith school in Hampshire, has launched a legal challenge against the government's plans to introduce VAT on independent school fees. BBC News states that 270 faith schools are asking for a VAT exemption for those which charge less than the government pays for a child to be educated at a state school. Explaining that three-quarters of the school budget goes towards salaries, headteacher Caroline Santer said: "I think the government has either misunderstood or ignored the diversity in independent schools," adding: "Working here is a mission calling because of its unique Christian ethos." The school is one of three faith schools working with lawyers at the Christian Legal Centre to launch a judicial review if VAT is imposed from January. By Anjana Gadgil.

Union leaders have warned the government that any imminent national insurance (NI) rises must be fully funded for schools, after reports last week suggested ministers are preparing to increase NI contributions for employers in the forthcoming Budget. Schools Week reports that independent schools, which already face increased costs associated with the VAT on fees policy, may not be shielded from any rise. David Woodgate, chief executive of the Independent Schools’ Bursars Association (ISBA), is quoted, saying it would be a “further tax that schools would have no choice but to pass on to parents”. By Samantha Booth.

A series of messages on a private Facebook group run by the campaign body Education Not Taxation: Parents Against School Fee VAT (ENT), seen by The Observer, ­have levelled personal attacks on education secretary Bridget Phillipson, with some calling to picket one of her ­constituency events. Condemning the remarks, the Independent Schools Council (ISC) said: "The ISC has no official involvement with ENT. We do not condone offensive or abusive remarks – these have no place in this discussion. We utterly condemn the distasteful language used in the comments highlighted by the Observer. In addition to being objectionable, these posts draw attention away from the very real and legitimate concerns parents have about the future of their children’s education." It concluded: "We will continue to raise these concerns in our efforts to urge the government to delay the implementation of VAT on fees and to mitigate its impact on schools and families." By Michael Savage.  

In response to a government consultation, the Scottish Council for Independent Schools (SCIS) has outlined a series of concerns over Labour's tax plans for independent schools. SCIS has said the policy does not adequately take account of the differences between the structures, finances and relationship to local authorities of Scottish and English independent schools, with SCIS chief executive officer Lorraine Davidson also warning that the makeup of independent schools in Scotland could mean more Scottish families will opt out and choose state schools compared to their English counterparts. By Garrett Stell, The Herald

Labour’s VAT policy could create a “domino effect” that will lead to more school closures in Scotland, as well as fluctuations in house prices and changes to catchment zones, legal experts from Scottish law firm Lindsays have warned. The lawyers have outlined various potential “unintended consequences” of the UK government’s policy. Helen Kidd, Lindsays partner and head of charities and the third sector, said: “Sadly it would not be a surprise if we witnessed more closures of some of the smaller specialist schools." David Rose, a partner in commercial property at the firm also warned of "the impact on capacity in the state sector". By Calum Ross, The Scotsman

Writing in The Times, freelance history journalist Andrew Southam argues that Labour needs to increase the participation of state school pupils in cadet programmes, which he says offer valuable life skills and opportunities often unavailable to them. Highlighting the potential for government initiatives to bridge the gap between state and independent school cadet involvement, Mr Southam writes: "Labour must support the cadets quickly to produce a self-motivated generation able to cope with whatever comes its way."

Several schools in membership of the ISC's constituent associations are mentioned across this weekend's coverage.

 

HofC written question: Independent schools and SEND

 

In a written question in the House of Commons (HofC), Conservative MP for Hinckley and Bosworth Luke Evans asked the secretary of state for education if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of charging VAT on independent school fees on local authority costings to support displaced former independent school children with special education needs and disabilities (SEND).

Stephen Morgan, Labour MP for Portsmouth South, replied: "This government is committed to ending the VAT exemption that private schools enjoy and will confirm the introduction of these changes at the Budget on 30 October. The Office for Budget Responsibility will also certify the government's costings for these measures at that time. The right time to discuss any funding for state funded schools is at the Spending Review." Mr Morgan continued: "Children with Education, Health and Care plans that provide a necessary local authority funded place at a private school will not be impacted by this policy. This is because local authorities can reclaim VAT on service expenditure through existing routes." Hansard.

 
Hansard

Allow trans teachers to use same facilities as female colleagues, says NGA

 

Trans teachers should be allowed to use the same showers and toilets as their female colleagues, according to the National Governance Association (NGA). Advice from the NGA, seen by The Telegraph, tells governors that transgender staff should be given access to the bathroom “available to other members of their newly acquired gender”. It goes on to suggest that requiring transgender people to use a disabled toilet instead of making reasonable adjustments “is not lawful or good practice”. By Connor Stringer.

 
The Telegraph

'Even in 2024, homophobic language is still a problem'

 

Homophobic language is rife among young pupils, with three-quarters of nine to 11-year-olds having heard it, according to new research by Just Like Us. The charity, which surveyed more than 31,000 children across the UK, found the vast majority (78 per cent) said they had heard homophobic language, with some primary school children citing TikTok as the place where they had heard the word gay being used as a derogatory insult. By Holly Bancroft, The Independent.

 
The Independent

A closer look at concerns around SEND spending

 

Ahead of next week's publication of the National Audit Office's (NAO) report on the cost and performance of England's special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system, Schools Week explores four major concerns for the new Labour government. The paper says councils predict they will spend £1.7 billion on independent SEND provision in 2024-25, a 206 per cent rise from the £576 million spent in 2015-16. By Samantha Booth.

 
Schools Week

Use half-term break to catch up on children's vaccinations, parents told

 

Parents and carers of young children are being urged to use the half-term break to make sure they are up to date on their flu vaccinations. Families can also ensure their children are up to date with measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines, and are being encouraged to use the NHS website if in-school appointments have been missed. By Bob Dale, BBC News.

 
BBC

 

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