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Daily News Summary
30 January 2025

ISC's legal challenge to VAT on fees policy will proceed to court hearing in April
Parliamentary debates and written answers: VAT on fees
Many parents don't think children need to know how to use books before starting school, survey finds
'We have created an admissions process that is both rigorous and humane'

ISC's legal challenge to VAT on fees policy will proceed to court hearing in April

 

A legal challenge to the government's VAT on fees policy will be heard in the High Court between 1 and 3 April, the Independent Schools Council (ISC) has confirmed. Lord Pannick KC, representing the six families who brought the claim, supported by the ISC, will claim the introduction of the tax on fees impedes access to education at independent schools and is incompatible with the right to education as per Article 2 of the First Protocol of the European Convention on Human Rights. Lord Pannick will also argue the policy infringes Article 14 of the Convention because it causes unnecessary and discriminatory harm to certain categories of children. Chief executive of the ISC Julie Robinson said: “This is an unprecedented tax on education – it is right that its compatibility with human rights law is tested. We believe the diversity within independent schools has been ignored in the haste to implement this damaging policy, with families and, ultimately, children, bearing the brunt of the negative impacts this rushed decision is already having. It is to protect the rights of these families and young people, who are having their choice removed from them by this policy, that we are seeking a declaration of incompatibility.” By Connie Dimsdale.

 
iNews

Parliamentary debates and written answers: VAT on fees

 

During a House of Lords debate on the Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill, president of the Independent Schools Association (ISA) Lord Lexden highlighted the damaging impact the government's VAT on fees policy will have on smaller independent schools. He said the government’s new financial burdens on independent schools, including VAT, increased national insurance contributions, and business rates, will severely harm small, low-budget schools, many of which serve children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and those from specific faith communities. Asserting that the government's tax policy will not raise significant revenue but will undermine valuable partnerships between independent and state schools, Lord Lexden added: "This bill will create a two-tier charity system in our country, with independent schools in the bottom tier, where other charities may join them in due course as the government find fresh targets to hit. This bill will establish for the first time that charities that the government do not like can be stripped of their charitable treatment even while they comply with their obligations and serve the community at large through work of great public benefit. For independent schools, public benefit work increasingly takes the form of partnership with state school colleagues, as we have heard from my distinguished noble friends. Up and down our land, the two education sectors work together in thousands of partnership schemes." In concluding remarks, Liberal Democrat Baroness Pinnock said: "This bill is a small step in the right direction, but it fails to assess all the moving parts. As many speakers have said, the government should think again about the exemption of relief to private schools, and we urge the government to rethink the totality of the impact of the bill on business." The extensive debate can be read in full on Hansard's website.

In a House of Commons written question, Liberal Democrat MP and spokesperson (Northern Ireland) Dr Al Pinkerton asked the education secretary what steps she is taking to support pupils with SEND who have left independent schools in the Surrey Heath constituency following the imposition of VAT on fees. Education minister Catherine McKinnell responded, saying the government is committed to improving access to high-quality education for all children, including those with SEND, by increasing funding and support. She said: "Most children with special educational needs, including most with education, health and care (EHC) plans, are already educated in mainstream state-funded schools. All state-funded schools support children with SEND. All children of compulsory age are entitled to a state-funded school place that is free for parents. Where a private school place is necessary to support a child with SEND, the local authority will fund it through an EHC plan." She added: "Local authorities have a statutory duty for ensuring sufficient state school places in their area. Local authorities routinely support parents that need a state-funded school place, including where private schools have closed or where pupils move between schools. The department does not collect data on in-year school applications or admissions, but where local authorities are experiencing difficulties in ensuring there are enough school places for children that need them, the department will offer support and advice. The department expects all schools admitting new pupils in-year to provide them with appropriate support, including where they have SEND. Schools will need to work with their local authority where pupils have additional needs that cannot be met within the school." Hansard.

 

Many parents don't think children need to know how to use books before starting school, survey finds

 

Fewer than half of parents believe their children should know how to use books properly before starting primary school, according to a poll conducted by early years charity Kindred2. The survey, which questioned more than 1,000 primary school staff and 1,000 parents of Reception-aged pupils across England and Wales, also found that only 76 per cent of parents think children should be toilet trained before joining primary school. By Eleanor Busby, The Independent. 

 
The Independent

'We have created an admissions process that is both rigorous and humane'

 

Writing in Independent School Management Plus, Luke Ramsden and Michael Foley from St Benedict’s School explain how the school's 11+ entry process has been reformed to reduce stress and better identify students who will thrive. The changes include replacing verbal and non-verbal reasoning tests with English and maths, while the traditional interview has been substituted with a group survival challenge. "This new system is much more natural, much more relaxed, much more enjoyable and a much more useful indicator as to how an individual pupil might fit into what we do at St Benedict’s," they say. Luke Ramsden is senior deputy head and Michael Foley is a Classics teacher and pastoral lead at St Benedict’s School in Ealing, London.

 
Independent School Management Plus

 

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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