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Daily News Summary
4 February 2025

Prime minister pays tribute to child killed in 'horrific and senseless' school stabbing
Parliamentary written answers and debates: VAT on fees policy and CEA
Letter: VAT on fees policy
Education secretary launches school reforms in England
How unsupervised play can help build resilience in children
Feeling seen: the power of support and inclusion in school

Prime minister pays tribute to child killed in 'horrific and senseless' school stabbing

 

Sir Keir Starmer has paid tribute to the victim of a knife attack at a school in Sheffield yesterday. In a statement, the prime minister said it was "horrific and senseless news", adding: "Our schools should be places of safety and learning, not violence and fear. My government is absolutely committed to tackling knife crime so young people are safe on our streets and in our schools." By Athena Stavrou, The Independent. 

 
The Independent

Parliamentary written answers and debates: VAT on fees policy and CEA

 

In a House of Commons written question for the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Labour MP Nadia Whittome asked what assessment had been made of the potential benefits of (a) increasing the termly rates and (b) expanding the eligibility criteria for the Continuity of Education Allowance. Responding, Minister for Veterans and People Al Carns said: "The Ministry of Defence recognises the unique circumstances faced by our service personnel and that frequent mobility can disrupt children’s education. Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) helps by providing the children of service personnel with a stable education that would not otherwise be available in the state-maintained day school sector, due to their family’s mobility. Termly rates of CEA are recalculated to account for changes to fees made by schools for the new academic year. This is usually an annual event but as schools changed their fees for January 2025 in response to the government’s new VAT policy, the CEA rates were recalculated in December 2024. New rates will be calculated ahead of changes in school fees for September 2025." Mr Carns also referenced the criteria for making a CEA claim.

During a debate on fiscal policy and defence spending in the House of Lords, Conservative peer Baroness Goldie asked: "If the government really value our armed forces personnel, why are they landing families with the full impact of VAT on private school fees, when the Continuity of Education Allowance will meet only part of that increase—and yet they are prepared to exempt United States armed forces personnel in this country from paying VAT on private school fees?" Lord Coaker replied: "The noble Baroness will know that the government have increased the Continuity of Education Allowance to meet 90 per cent of the cost of school fees, which is line with the consistent use of that policy to meet school fees. On the US military exemption, the VAT rule applies to all businesses supplying services to US forces, so there has been no change in that regard." Responding, Baroness Smith of Newnham said "although there may not have been a change in the relationship with the United States, there has been an impact on His Majesty's Armed Forces". She added: "Such children are being sent to private school not through the parental choice that might be made in the civilian sector, but to ensure they can have a secure education while their parents are serving. The cost of education has just gone up through VAT. Is that not a problem? Could the MoD not talk to the Treasury about it?" Lord Coaker then referenced the uplift to the CEA, which he said aligns with Labour's support policy. Hansard.

 

Letter: VAT on fees policy

 

Writing to The Telegraph, Adam Massingham from Kent highlights a growing awareness of the "knock-on effects" of Labour's VAT on fees policy, which include the potential loss of bursary provision. Drawing a parallel to the party's past efforts to dismantle grammar schools, Mr Massingham warns: "Now we have a Labour government that is destroying access to private education for all but the super-rich." The letter appears above halfway.

 
The Telegraph

Education secretary launches school reforms in England

 

In a speech on Labour's school reforms for England yesterday, Bridget Phillipson said underperforming schools will be given 18 months to improve or be turned into academies. Insisting “stuck schools” were the “new front in the fight against low expectations”, the education secretary praised academies as “the key driver of rising standards” in schools and outlined measures to help struggling schools improve alongside Ofsted’s proposal to overhaul its inspection system. By Georgia Lambert and Chris Smyth, The Times

The full transcript of Ms Phillipson's speech on Labour's "new era" for school standards has been published in Schools Week. By Freddie Whittaker.  

Writing in The Times, journalist and author Melanie Phillips criticises the education secretary's proposed reforms and suggests they risk lowering educational standards. Ms Phillips calls the decision to withdraw funding for the government’s scheme supporting Latin teaching in schools "spiteful", before concluding: "The agenda Phillipson is inflicting upon the country will have the most baleful long-term outcome."

 

How unsupervised play can help build resilience in children

 

In an article for Independent School Management Plus on building resilience, Kristina Lewis, deputy head (academic) at Blackheath High School GDST, encourages schools to inform parents about the benefits of allowing children to play with minimal adult intervention. Highlighting how unstructured play can teach children vital life skills, she writes: "Getting knocked down by a slightly older kid – picking yourself up – knowing it will be OK, seems like a solid foundation for most FTSE 100 companies."

 
Independent School Management Plus

Feeling seen: the power of support and inclusion in school

 

In the latest ISC blog, Zeya, a Year 13 student, provides an impactful account of how Bradford Grammar School has supported his mental wellbeing and celebrated his cultural identity throughout his academic career.

 
ISC

 

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