Three mothers have lodged a High Court claim against the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, arguing that the government's VAT on fees policy discriminates against pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), as well as single mothers. The women, who are being kept anonymous to protect their children's identities and are being represented by law firm Sinclairslaw, have raised £185,000 in their fight to prove that the government has breached the European Convention on Human Rights. Speaking to The Telegraph, James Gardner of Sinclairslaw said: "Forcing thousands of parents to move their children to state schools which already can’t cope is a callous, bone-headed and ultimately harmful decision." He added: "Pretending that it is being done in order to raise tax revenues for schools is deceitful. The numbers don’t stack up, and any money raised isn’t ring-fenced for education anyway." Reference is made to the separate legal challenge launched by the Independent Schools Council (ISC) against the Treasury in December. By Pieter Snepvangers. 

BBC Newsround explores the government's VAT on fees policy and talks to Emilie Darwin, deputy CEO of the Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS), about its implications. Speaking to presenter Ricky Boleto, Ms Darwin explained: "Ultimately it will make schools more expensive, and that's a worry for heads who are running the schools, teachers within the schools and, importantly, for parents who send their children to those schools." Ms Darwin added: "We don't think it is fair to tax education," before warning: "There's a real concern that those children who have special educational needs and are getting those needs met really, really well in an independent school might have parents who can't afford the additional costs and may have to move them to another setting where their needs may not be met as well."

In a written question in the House of Commons, Labour MP for Edinburgh North and Leith Tracy Gilbert asked what funding from the VAT on fees policy the chancellor plans to provide to the Scottish government. Responding, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones said: "Ending tax breaks for private schools will raise revenue that can help fund priorities in the state education sector in England. The Barnett formula will be applied in the usual way to any resulting additional funding for UK government departments provided in devolved areas. The Scottish government’s block grant funding is growing in real terms in 2025-26 and its spending review settlement for 2025-26 is the largest in real terms of any settlement since devolution. The Scottish government will receive over 20% more per person than equivalent UK government spending in the rest of the UK in 2025-26 which translates into over £8.5 billion more."

In a series of written questions for the Ministry of Defence, Conservative MP for Gosport Dame Caroline Dinenage asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to extend Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) to all service personnel. She also asked if ministers will review the uplift in CEA for costs associated with VAT on independent school fees after six months, and what assessment has been made of the adequacy of the uplift in CEA allowance for costs associated with the VAT on fees policy.

Replying to all three questions, Minister for Veterans and People Al Carns said: "Following the budget statement by the chancellor on 30 October 2024, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) confirmed it would carry out an in-year re-rating of the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA), which is a contribution towards boarding education. The methodology used to calculate the new rates remained the same as previous yearly calculations, a weighted average of the fees charged by the top 75% of schools used by CEA claimants. The MOD will monitor the impact on retention in service for those claiming CEA following the introduction of VAT on independent school fees. This will inform a review of the CEA calculation methodology ahead of revised rates being produced for the new academic year starting September 2025. The MOD provides the option for all eligible service personnel to claim CEA as a contribution to boarding education to minimise the disruption to their children's education caused by service commitments involving frequent moves of the family home. To be eligible, the service person's circumstances must fit within specific regulations, especially around accompanied service and family mobility." 

In a House of Lords written question, Lord Kempsell asked whether ministers will exempt pupils in receipt of Music and Dance Scheme grants from their VAT on fees policy. The Lords Treasury Minister Lord Livermore replied, saying: "Since 1 January 2025, all education services and vocational training provided by private schools in the UK for a charge have been subject to VAT at the standard rate of 20 per cent. This also applies to fees paid by students in receipt of the Music and Dance Scheme grants. This is to ensure fairness and consistency across all schools that provide education services and vocational training for a charge. However, the Department for Education has decided to adjust its Music and Dance Scheme bursary contribution for families with a relevant income below £45,000 to account for the VAT that will be applied on fees, ensuring that the total parental fee contributions for families with below average relevant incomes remain unchanged for the rest of the 2024/25 academic year." Hansard.

Schools, the NHS and local councils are to be prohibited from making ransomware payments under government proposals to address the problem of hacking. To combat cyber attacks, operators of critical national infrastructure will be barred from complying with demands when criminal gangs seize control of IT systems. Reporting ransomware attacks will also be made mandatory if the proposals become law. By Dan Milmo, The Guardian.

An investigation by The Telegraph, covered extensively in a special report, has revealed a crisis facing sport in British state schools, with many children disengaging from physical activity following the pandemic. Rising childhood obesity, poor mental health, and a surge in children unable to swim have been highlighted, with most teenagers falling short of the two-hour weekly school sport target. The study also noted a growing inequality between the availability of sport in independent and state schools. By Tim Wigmore.

Writing in Independent School Management Plus, Marina Gardiner Legge stresses the importance of teaching children digital and media literacy to help them carefully evaluate online content. Ms Gardiner Legge supports programmes such as the Civic Online Reasoning curriculum, which assist students in discerning fact from fiction and address biases in technology. Describing some of the particular risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI), she writes: "There’s an additional element for us as a school for girls. We know that much of the data that informs AI fails to fully represent women and people of colour. Additionally, it is female politicians that are largely targeted with online abuse and deep fake pornography smears, harming their wellbeing and posing risks to their professional reputations." Ms Gardiner Legge is headmistress of Oxford High School GDST and vice-president of the Girls’ Schools Association (GSA) for 2024-2025.

Pupils at Solihull School are being offered the chance to skip homework for two weeks, provided they use their smartphones less and read a book instead. Headteacher Charles Fillingham told BBC Radio WM the idea behind the scheme was to help pupils start the new year with less screen time and rekindle a love of reading. Lauren, a pupil at the school, has been enjoying the change and told the broadcaster: "It's encouraging me to just put those devices back on charge, away, at the end of the lounge." By PJ Ellis and Shyamantha Asokan.

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