In response to 'Labour’s plan to transform the relationship between state and private schools’

Barnaby Lenon, Chairman of the Independent Schools Council, said:

“Independent schools are committed to helping widen access to their schools and to improving social mobility. Already 90% of our schools are already involved in meaningful and effective partnerships with state schools and their local communities.

"Independent schools generate £4.7 billion in tax and save the tax payer a further £4 billion, equivalent to building 460 schools, by educating children out of the state school sector. To subject independent schools to one-size-fits-all regulations does not take into account the diverse nature of our sector - many are small local schools. Clawing back business rate relief on independent schools seems a very ineffective tool to improve social mobility in any meaningful way.”