In an article for The Telegraph, George Trefgarne considers the forthcoming High Court case against the government's VAT on fees policy and challenges some of the common misconceptions. He writes: "While the case focuses on whether it is wrong to put VAT on education, much bigger issues are also at stake: the sovereignty of Parliament, the place of education in society and the rights of children." He continues that a victory by the claimants would result in a "declaration of incompatibility": "an admission that the government will have contrived to pass a law – VAT on school fees – which is in contradiction of existing laws, including numerous Education Acts, charity legislation, the Human Rights Act, but also Labour’s promise to uphold human rights in its manifesto." Mr Trefgarne is a parent supporting Education Not Taxation, and is also the CEO of a strategic communications firm. 

Councils are spending £62 million each year transporting children to state schools in taxi journeys as short as half a mile, an investigation by The Telegraph has found. One local authority paid £53,000 last year on taxis for one child and more than a dozen authorities paid thousands of pounds to taxi pupils – who do not have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) – to schools less than a mile from their homes.  Ministers and campaigners have said the figures are "beyond comprehension", warning the costs will only get worse as thousands of children from independent schools are forced into the state sector as a result of the VAT on fees policy. Maxwell Marlow, director of public affairs at the Adam Smith Institute, said: "The vast expenditure on taxis to transport displaced young people to state schools is indicative of the poor planning and foresight behind the education tax imposed by the government. It is taxpayers who will have to foot the bill." By Pieter Snepvangers.

The Times reports that private providers are building new independent schools for children with SEND at a rate of one every five days, amid growing concerns over the level of fees such firms are charging to local authorities. Education secretary Bridget Phillipson is understood to be in discussion with the Treasury about increasing funding for mainstream schools to create specialist facilities for pupils with SEND, aiming to provide these services at a lower cost than private provision. By Oliver Wright.

During a House of Lords debate on the Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill, Baroness Barran requested amendments to take out any reference to independent schools, following the removal of Clause 5. She explained: "This clause on its own will raise only £70 million for the Exchequer, but its impact cannot be ignored. It comes at a time when the government have already hit independent schools with additional costs through their decision to introduce VAT on school fees in the middle of a school year and the increase in employer national insurance contributions. This suggested change would exclude independent schools from charitable business rates relief. Although it would raise minimal amounts for the Treasury, it would damage schools disproportionately." The bill passed and was returned to the House of Commons with amendments.

In written questions in the House of Lords, Lord Kempsell asked ministers what engagement they have had with military families in receipt of the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) while monitoring the impact of VAT on independent school fees. He also requested details of which military family representatives ministers have met since the policy took effect in January. In a separate question, Lord Kempsell asked what measures are being used to monitor the impact of VAT on fees for families receiving the CEA. Responding to both questions, Lord Coaker said: "Following the introduction of VAT on independent school fees, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) conducted an in-year recalculation of the rates of CEA effective 1 December 2024. The single services will continue to monitor any impact on retention in service for those claiming CEA following the introduction of VAT. Additionally, the MoD will continue to monitor the impact through engagement with the Families Federations and feedback from service personnel. The Pay and Allowances Casework and Complaints Cell (PACCC) will monitor the impact on service personnel changing schools and withdrawing from CEA. Currently, no service personnel have withdrawn from claiming CEA as a direct result of the introduction of VAT on independent schools." Hansard.

In a letter to The Times, educational consultant Catriona Sutherland-Hawes warns that the government's policies for independent schools risk removing the "powerful benefit" of transformational bursaries from future generations. "Aspirations were raised and horizons were widened," Ms Sutherland-Hawes says as she reflects on the impact of the bursary programmes she oversaw as director of admissions at two independent schools. The letter appears below halfway.

iNews summarises the education policies that could be at risk in Rachel Reeves's Spring Statement, which the chancellor will announce tomorrow. Free school meals and period products in schools, the Turing Scheme and the government's wrap-around childcare subsidy are all policies that could be cut in the spending review. By Connie Dimsdale.

A mother is warning parents about the dangers of paracetamol after her 15-year-old daughter passed away from an overdose. Alice Clark is thought to have taken a fatal amount of tablets over two days as she secretly struggled with mental health issues triggered by exam pressures and cruel social media messages from peers. Now her mother Joanne is seeking to raise awareness around the dangers of the over-the-counter painkiller and is campaigning for paracetamol to be made prescription only. Urging other parents to keep medication locked away, she said: "It shouldn't be something that's 30p, with a 16 age bracket and on the bottom shelf where a toddler can pick it up." The article ends with a list of paracetamol overdose symptoms and some of the signs a child might be struggling with their mental health. By Eliza Loukou, The Sun.

Writing in Tes, Olli-Pekka Heinonen, director-general of the International Baccalaureate (IB), highlights the growing importance of understanding numbers, patterns, and statistics as pupils gain greater access to artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Outlining the IB's emphasis on the role of numeracy, Mr Pekka-Heinonen writes: "One thing is clear: the world will need more mathematical thinking, not less."

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