More than 100 private schools forced to close ‘due to government VAT on fees’
More than 100 independent schools have reportedly closed their doors following the government’s decision to impose VAT on private school fees.
Julie Robinson, chief executive of the Independent Schools Council, said: Mail on Sunday It was stated that 105 institutions have stopped their activities since the policy was implemented.
He described the move as “a bridge too far” for many organizations. The government’s policy of imposing 20 percent VAT on private school fees came into force on January 1 last year.
“We are likely to see further closures in the coming months and years as the effects of VAT and other tax measures grow,” Ms Robinson told the newspaper.
“Whilst there are many factors contributing to school closures, we know there are some who feel the Government’s decision to tax education is a bridge too far.”
Ms Robinson said 15 of the 105 schools had been merged with others Mail on Sunday.
According to the newspaper, a total of 19 schools (almost a fifth) in and around London have closed, while many institutions in the North and Midlands have also had to close their doors.
Park Hill School in Kingston and Falcons School in Putney claimed the Government’s introduction of VAT on fees meant they no longer had the means to remain open. Mail on Sunday in question.
John Whitgift School’s Old Palace in Croydon, south London, Ursuline Prep in Ilford, east London, and London Acorn in Morden, south-west London, also closed their doors last year.
More recent closures include Cedars School in Croydon, an all-boys high school that closed in September, and Oak Heights, a co-educational high school in Hounslow, west London, which closed in October.
Other closures include Queen Margaret School for Girls in York last summer, with governors citing “increasing financial pressures” as the reason for the closure.
Carrdus School in Banbury, which belonged to the private girls’ school Tudor Hall, and Maidwell Hall in Northamptonshire, whose alumni included Earl Spencer, were also recently closed.
A government spokesman said on Sunday: “This crisis of students leaving the private sector and putting pressure on the state system has not happened.
“Our data shows that pupil numbers align closely with historical patterns seen over the last 20 years, and the rate at which children gain a place at one of their preferred primary schools is the second highest on record.
“Ending tax breaks for private schools would raise £1.8bn a year by 2029/30 to help fund public services, including supporting 94 per cent of children in state schools, to help deliver excellence for every child, everywhere.”
