VAT policy forcing schools to review staffing and subject choices, says ISC CEO
Julie Robinson, chief executive of the Independent Schools Council (ISC), has warned that the VAT on fees policy has forced many independent schools to re-evaluate their staffing and subject provision.
A new survey by The Heads' Conference (HMC), which received 240 responses, has found that nearly half of its member schools are planning teacher redundancies, while a third are preparing to remove entire subjects from their curricula.
Speaking to iNews, Ms Robinson said: “We have heard about many schools going into a restructuring process to reduce staffing, and we will see the result of that next academic year.”
She added that schools are assessing the subjects and extra-curricular activities they can offer: “Schools provide a really broad range of clubs, activities and subjects as well so these are things schools are reviewing.
“But of course, they’re going to balance making cost efficiencies against what they know is really, really important as part of the educational offer.”