Julie Robinson, chief executive of the Independent Schools Council (ISC), has criticised the government's "flawed" VAT on fees policy, stating that it "will cause disruption to children’s education without achieving a positive outcome for the sector." The ISC, which claims the policy is discriminatory, is taking legal action against the tax, with a three-day judicial review hearing set to begin in the High Court tomorrow. In legal documents submitted to the High Court, seen by The Telegraph, the organisation claimed ministers refused to engage with independent schools before the tax change. Ms Robinson said: "In my view, the government has proceeded with these proposals in haste without fully listening to the views of the independent sector or carrying out a full and proper impact analysis." There had "effectively only been a few weeks for schools to properly get ready" for the extensive tax changes, she explained, despite ministers claiming the sector had ample time to prepare. Ms Robinson added that "there had been no consultation at all with independent schools before this written statement on July 29", and The Telegraph understands there were no meetings before this date between government officials and the ISC. Describing the policy's negative impact, she warned: "Capacity in the state sector is not evenly spread, and there is a high likelihood of pinch points being created in different parts of the country. It is the sort of unintended effect that I do not believe has been adequately thought through by the government when designing the policy." The article concludes with a section outlining Treasury guidance on areas of education that are, and are not, exempt from VAT. By Poppy Wood.

iNews explores the ISC's forthcoming legal challenge and the reasons why lawyers will argue that the VAT policy breaches human rights. Lord Pannick KC will lead the challenge, claiming the tax disproportionately affects lower-income families, including children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and those attending faith schools. By Connie Dimsdale. 

Parents of children with SEND who attend independent schools are struggling financially due to the VAT on fees policy, The Times reports, with many taking drastic measures such as remortgaging or selling their homes. Despite exemptions for children with education, health and care plans (EHCPs), the lengthy and complex application process leaves many families without support, forcing them to cover rising costs themselves. The paper looks at the forthcoming legal challenge and arguments that the policy disproportionately impacts SEND children and unfairly burdens ordinary working families. The paper speaks to Leanne Gunns, who says her son Charlie, who has a rare neurological condition, is at risk of losing his school place due to rising fees caused by the tax policy. "All I can do is work as hard as I can in the hope that I can grow my business fast enough to keep up with the fees," says Ms Gunn. By Tom Ball. According to a survey by campaign group Education Not Taxation, one in eight families with children who have SEND at independent schools have been "forced to move home" due to Labour’s tax policy. Of the respondents, 12 per cent said they had moved home or downsized to pay for the increase in fees since Labour's tax came into effect in January. Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Munira Wilson is quoted in the Daily Mail, saying: "Children with special needs are having their education put at risk as a result of this policy. With the state special needs system in crisis, this tax on education is heaping yet more pressure on a broken system." By Eleanor Harding. 

Two Orthodox Jewish families are among those challenging the government's VAT policy on independent school fees in the High Court, arguing it breaches the right to education under the European Convention on Human Rights. The families, and some Jewish educational organisations, are warning the new tax policy could threaten the viability of some Jewish schools. Most Charedi children in the UK are educated in independent schools, which often depend heavily on donations as many parents cannot afford the fees. Julie Robinson is quoted in The Jewish Chronicle, saying: "It is important that this unprecedented education tax’s compatibility with human rights law is tested." By Simon Rocker.

Lawyers challenging the policy will also argue that it discriminates against girls who require single-sex education after experiencing bullying or grooming in mixed-sex state schools, The Times reports. Ms Robinson commented: "Parents choose girls’ schools for a variety of reasons and it is vital that, where a local independent school is the sole girls-only option, VAT on fees does not remove that choice for them." By Nicola Woolcock.

Record numbers of pupils, many from independent schools, are applying to top state sixth forms for their A levels, a rise partly driven by the VAT on fees policy, according to headteachers, with some schools saying applications have doubled for Year 12 places. Mark Fenton, CEO of the Grammar School Heads Association, which represents most of England’s 163 grammars, said interest had increased significantly this year including a "larger than usual amount of interest from parents at independent schools". By Louise Eccles, The Times. Also covered by Gethin Hicks for the Daily Mail. 

The Scotsman outlines what the legal challenge could mean for schools in Scotland and answers some of the key questions ahead of tomorrow. On the involvement of the Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS), which is an affiliate of the ISC, its chief executive Lorraine Davidson previously said: "The Scottish Council of Independent Schools took its own steps to obtain a legal opinion from a KC on the strengths of a legal challenge in the Scottish courts in relation to the many differences in the Scottish sector, and the likely discrimination faced by pupils and families in Scotland." By Calum Ross. Pupils in Edinburgh who are forced to switch from independent to state schools in the wake of the VAT policy face being kept out of the top catchment areas as councillors have refused to significantly increase capacity in high schools. Edinburgh City Council’s education committee has voted to reject new "planning capacities" that would have added more than 3,000 places. Referencing two state schools that are "already at capacity", Conservative councillor for Morningside Marie-Clair Munro warned: "In the coming years I worry getting your child a place at one of these schools will become more difficult even if you live in catchment, while out-of-catchment places may need more scrutiny." By Mark McLaughlin, The Times. 

Moorland School in Lancashire has been forced to close due to financial challenges, including the imposition of VAT on school fees, declining numbers of full-fee paying pupils, and rising operating costs. In a letter to parents explaining that the school could no longer operate, headteacher and proprietor Jonathan Harrison said closing the senior school had been "the hardest decision of my life". By Emma Stanley, BBC News. 

Writing in The Telegraph, associate comment editor Michael Mosbacher warns that ministers are intensifying financial pressure on independent schools by removing their charitable business rates relief, requiring them to pay full rates while other charities continue to receive an 80 per cent discount. The policy, he warns, could increase costs significantly, potentially resulting in higher fees for parents and the sale of school land. Mr Mosbacher concludes that Labour "has unfortunately opened a hornets' nest" with its tax policy, adding: "It is not just those paying school fees who will be worse off."

Independent school teachers at United Learning, the country's largest multi-academy trust (MAT), have voted in favour of industrial action over pay. The National Education Union (NEU) said its members at 10 of United Learning's 14 independent schools had backed strike action. A spokesperson for the MAT said the schools "will remain fully open to pupils" in the event of strikes, adding: "Across our 14 independent schools, we employ nearly 1,000 teachers, 400 of whom were eligible to vote in the 5 NEU ballots. Of these, 137 voted to take strike action. In the four schools which had individual ballots, no NEU member supported strike action." Tes.

In a lengthy feature for BBC News' Letter from Africa series, Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani says many wealthy Nigerians, who have historically sent their children to British boarding schools, are now seeing those institutions open campuses in Nigeria. Charterhouse and Rugby School are among those launching schools in Lagos this year, catering for parents seeking an internationally recognised education without the financial burden of sending their children abroad. 

Reference is made to research by the ISC and several schools in membership of the ISC's constituent associations are mentioned across this weekend's coverage.

In a letter to The Telegraph, James Piper, head of The Perse Prep School, highlights the economic and political challenges facing small preparatory schools. Mr Piper notes that factors such as the decline of boarding, decreasing birth rates, wealth disparities, increased regulations, and the introduction of the government's VAT on fees policy have resulted in the closure of several schools, including St Anselm’s in Derbyshire, where his grandfather and father both served as heads. Encouraging adaptation in the face of current challenges, he says: "Education is a necessity and good schools will evolve."

Jane Gandee, headmistress of St Swithun's School, references an earlier article on the impact of VAT on single-sex school fees and says: "Despite the economic challenges, it is crucial that we retain the opportunity of a single-sex education, especially for girls." She adds that girls' schools are "essential" to combating the negative effects of gender stereotyping, and highlights the ways in which girls can benefit from being in single-sex environments. 

Nicholas Nelson from Dorset expresses sadness over the impending closure of Fulneck School, which comes as a result of financial difficulties.

The letters appear at the top of the page.

Nearly 20 councils have warned publicly that they are at risk of insolvency due to multibillion-pound debts caused by years of overspends on special educational needs and disability (SEND) services. A Guardian investigation has found that overspending on SEND support is forecast to grow by nearly £2 billion over the next 12 months, with deficits rising by 54 per cent on average. By Patrick Butler, Pamela Duncan, Matthew Pearce and Raphael Boyd.

An analysis piece in the paper explores the issue further, warning that accumulated deficits are expected to reach at least £5.2 billion by 31 March 2026. By Matthew Pearce and Raphael Boyd.

Children's nurseries have warned they could be forced to shut before the end of the year due to measures from chancellor Rachel Reeves's Budget coming into force next month. Childcare providers have said increases to national insurance and the minimum wage are causing them to squeeze services. Donna Ellis, from Rainbow pre-school in Wickford, Essex, told The Times: "Our incomings are nowhere near meeting our outgoings for all my staff to keep my children safe and to keep them going. I'd work for nothing anyway, because it's my school. But by Christmas, I don't think I'm going to be there any more to help my community." By Aubrey Allegretti. 

Across the 2022-23 school year, 3,599 children in reception and nursery were either suspended or expelled for physical violence against an adult, according to figures obtained by The Telegraph, while an additional 1,890 were excluded for assaulting other children. Analysis of the data shows the number of exclusions resulting from violent behaviour among children aged 11 and under soared by 40 per cent in one year, amid warnings from unions that teachers are increasingly under attack from their pupils. By Ben Butcher and Poppy Wood. 

Police forces and schools across the country have issued parents with a "periodic table of sinister emojis" said to be used by under-18s to surreptitiously discuss violence, sex and extremism. This comes in the wake of the Netflix show Adolescence, the plot of which involves the use of emojis by children to spread hidden messages about masculinity and misogyny. The emoji table, produced by education charity For Working Parents, features 60 symbols used to talk about drugs, violence, sex, self-harm, extremism, and involuntary celibates (incels). By Tim Sigsworth, The Telegraph. 

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