Lord Lexden, president of the Independent Schools Association (ISA), submitted a written question in the House of Lords, in which he asked what assessment ministers have made of reports of an increase in the average capacity of mainstream independent schools closed in 2024 and 2025 compared with the average for such closures in the preceding 10 years. Responding, education minister Baroness Smith of Malvern said: "The department continues to monitor the independent school sector closely through the Get Information about Schools database. Having considered the latest available data, the government's assessment is that the number and capacity of mainstream independent school closures remain within historic norms and are consistent with our estimates." 

In a separate question, Lord Lexden asked ministers "what assessment they have made of the findings of the BiGGAR Economics report, published in April, that the revenue raised from VAT on independent school fees in Scotland will be outweighed by the fiscal impact of reduced pupil numbers, resulting in a net loss of £16 million to the public finances in 2026-27; and of the report's projection that this net loss will rise to £181 million by 2037-38 as the cumulative effect of pupils leaving the independent sector increases over time." In response, Lord Pitt-Watson said the government had assessed the impact of the VAT policy and pointed to the government's Tax Impact and Information Note (TIIN), which details the analysis. "Since the exemption was removed in January last year, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has estimated it will raise around £40 million per year more than originally forecast", he said, before adding that changes in independent school pupil numbers are in line with forecasts and broader demographic trends rather than the policy alone. The question and answer are accompanied by a link to HM Revenue & Customs' policy paper on applying VAT to independent school fees.

Remaining on the issue of VAT on fees, Conservative peer Baroness Cash asked what plans the government has to commission an independent review of the impact of the tax policy on "(1) provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), (2) specialist subject provision, (3) arts provision, (4) sports provision, and (5) projected pupil movement from the independent sector to the state sector and the consequential impact on state sector resources; and what steps they are taking to monitor and report on these matters". Baroness Smith replied, saying ministers have no plans to commission a further review. Referencing the Treasury's Tax Impact and Information Note, she said "underlying costings were scrutinised and certified by the independent OBR". Ministers continue to monitor the impact of the tax policy, she said, adding: "Latest data remains within historic norms and is consistent with the government's estimates."

On a separate issue relating to independent schools, Baroness Jenkin of Kennington asked how many independent schools with a religious character have entered the state-funded sector in each of the past five years; and how many further applications are pending. Responding, Baroness Smith explained that decisions on proposals to replace independent schools with voluntary aided schools are made locally, not by the government, and there are no plans to change the current guidance or legal framework. On the numbers that have entered the state-funded sector in the past five years, she said: "Two new voluntary aided schools with a religious character have been established to replace independent schools, one in 2025 and one in 2026. As of October 2026, the department is not aware of any pending applications." The same answer was provided in response to Baroness Jenkin's subsequent question on the role of the education secretary in decisions by local authorities to approve the entry of independent schools with a religious character into the maintained sector as voluntary aided schools, and whether ministers plan to review that framework. Hansard.

Writing in The Telegraph, feature writer Elisa Bray says rising antisemitism is leaving some Jewish families facing difficult choices about where to educate their children. Ms Bray cites comments by shadow education secretary Laura Trott, who told the Jewish Chronicle this month that "no Jewish parent in Britain in 2026 should have to choose between sending their child to a mainstream school where they may face anti-Semitism, or a Jewish school behind high security".

Services for children in parts of England are in a "state of emergency", according to a report from the children's commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza. Seeking to shine a light on areas where childhood is the hardest, Dame Rachel said she had spoken to young people on recent visits to schools, youth clubs and young offender institions around the country, and some of the things she had witnessed had "utterly disgusted" her. In some local authorities individual service failures or systemic problems meant "no child could reasonably be expected to thrive and those that do thrive do so against the odds", she warned. By Patrick Butler, The Guardian. 

Five years after United World College of South East Asia (UWCSEA) embarked on a journey to replace International GCSEs with its own curriculum, the first cohort has graduated. Tes looks at the school's new approach and what lessons other schools might draw from the experience. Nicholas Alchin, the school's head of college who championed the move, explains: "I'm not against GCSEs. I just think, honestly, there's the possibility to do better." By Emma Seith.

Some children are missing out on the chance to experience live theatre because of cost and other barriers, arts leaders have warned. Speaking to BBC News, the team at Bristol Old Vic said access to theatre and creative arts has reached an "emergency" point for some youngsters, with those from less affluent backgrounds often less likely to attend performances. The city centre theatre is now taking free productions directly into Bristol secondary schools in an attempt to reach pupils who might otherwise miss out. A number of pupils taking part in the project tell the BBC it has helped them see theatre in a different light, with Mikel, a Year 8 pupil at City Academy, describing the experience as "more than I expected". By Alastair McKee and Christopher Mace. 

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