St Hilda’s School in Hertfordshire has said it is consulting on a possible closure as early as this summer due to the VAT on fees policy, the loss of business rates relief and an increase in national insurance contributions. Former home secretary Suella Braverman, who attended the all-girls’ preparatory school, said: “Labour’s plans will just force another good school to close, placing unsustainable pressure on state schools and harming the education of every child.” Commenting on the news, former deputy prime minister and local MP for Hertsmere Oliver Dowden said he was "extremely concerned", adding: "This is the second casualty of Labour’s schools tax in Bushey alone. With places already in exceptionally short supply, this deeply misguided policy only succeeds in delivering anxiety for families and unsustainable pressure on local state schools." By Pieter Snepvangers, The Telegraph. Also covered by Adam Pogrund for the Daily Mail.

In an interview with The Times, headmaster of Rugby School Gareth Parker-Jones says the funds from taxing independent school fees should be given to neighbouring state schools and charities rather than disappearing into a Treasury “black hole”. Mr Parker-Jones is advocating for the creation of consortiums to determine how funds should be distributed within communities. Intending to write to education secretary Bridget Phillipson, offering his school as a pilot for the project, he asks: "How much more useful it would be if the money raised from our schools was distributed and spent locally, directed to our neighbouring primary and secondary schools, adult education ­institutions, charities that help disadvantaged children?" By Nicola Woolcock.

Private tutoring firms have told iNews that the government's VAT on fees policy has led to a surge in demand for help with 11 plus entry tests for state grammar schools. The head of one tutoring firm claimed the increase in competition would mean that even bright pupils without this extra paid-for help would no longer “stand a chance” in the race to get into grammar schools. The paper has also spoken to parents and seen test entry figures suggesting the already intense competition to win selective state school places is intensifying in some areas of the country as a result of the new tax. Enjoy Education, a tutoring firm with customers across England, said grammar schools in Surrey had become “particularly” competitive, as well as those in the West Country and Essex. By Connie Dimsdale.

The Times looks at how grandparents are increasingly using their life savings to help cover rising independent school fees, particularly in light of the VAT on fees policy. A small survey by lender Premium Credit suggested that, in 2024, some 35 per cent of parents who sent their children to independent school had help with fees from family. Of those, 69 per cent said the help came from grandparents. The trend is causing concern among financial experts, who warn that it could lead to financial difficulties for the grandparents in later life. The paper talks to Angela Gourd, a grandparent who stepped in to pay the fees for her grandson to attend Bedford School, saving her daughter from having to take on a third job. Reference is made to data from the ISC and several schools in membership of the ISC's constituent associations are mentioned across this weekend's coverage. By Lucy Andrews.

In a written question in the Scottish Parliament, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party MSP Craig Hoy asked the government what discussions it has had with the Treasury regarding the allocation of VAT revenues raised on Scotland's independent schools. Responding, Ivan McKee referred Mr Hoy to the answer of a question from 26 February 2025. He added: "All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found here." 

Mr Hoy posed a separate question, in which he asked what assessment ministers have made regarding whether the Treasury has proportionately allocated VAT revenues raised on Scotland's independent schools to the block grant to allow for this revenue to be spent in the education sector. Mr McKee replied, saying: "VAT is a reserved power of the UK government. Under the Barnett formula the Scottish government is not entitled to a proportion of revenues raised by the UK government under reserved powers. Changes to the block grant are calculated by reference to UK government spend in devolved areas. The UK government had initially indicated that funding raised from the removal of the VAT exemption on independent schools would be ring-fenced and applied to the budget for the Department of Education in England to increase teacher numbers in England." He added that there is no specific ring-fencing to show if this funding came directly from the new VAT on independent schools, so is unable to confirm whether VAT revenue is the source. The Scottish Parliament.

In a letter to The Times, warden of Glenalmond College Mark Mortimer says Sir Keir Starmer should be praised for his diplomatic efforts in Washington and for his decisive action on increasing defence spending. However, Mr Mortimer urges the prime minister to show similar courage by reconsidering the VAT on fees policy, which he describe as "an ill-thought-out and spiteful policy that is increasingly being shown to be entirely counter-productive". The letter appears halfway down the page.

The National Education Union (NEU) has launched its preliminary strike ballot over the government’s recommendation of a 2.8 per cent pay award for teachers. The ballot, which asks members if they accept the Department for Education’s recommended pay rise and whether they are willing to take strike action if they do not, will close on Friday 11 April. General secretary of the NEU Daniel Kebede said: "Our members do not want to strike but ignoring the profession and backing educators into a corner means we will be left with no choice." By Jasmine Norden, Tes.

Writing in Tes, Jean Gross discusses how schools can better support autistic pupils by making environmental adjustments to reduce sensory overload and teaching self-regulation skills. "Calm, predictable environments that avoid overstimulation help everyone to learn," she says. Jean Gross CBE is an independent consultant and author of books including Beating Bureaucracy in Special Educational Needs. 

In an ISC blog marking the start of National Careers Week, Stephen Edwards from Yarm School explains how collaboration is central to the school’s careers provision and the opportunities it provides for young people.

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