More than 100 private schools forced to close ‘due to 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, told The Mail On Sunday that 105 institutions have ceased operations since the policy was introduced.

She described the move as "a bridge too far" for many establishments. The government’s policy, which levies 20 per cent VAT on private school fees, came into effect on January 1 last year.

“We are likely to see further closures over the coming months and years as the effects of VAT and other tax measures mount up,” Ms Robinson told the paper.

“While there is a combination of factors contributing to school closures, we know that there are some for whom the Government’s decision to tax education is a bridge too far.”

The 105 schools include 15 which had been merged with others, Ms Robinson told The Mail On Sunday.

A total of 19 school closures – nearly one in five – took place in London and the surrounding area, while many establishments in the North and the Midlands have also been forced to shut their doors, according to the newspaper.

Park Hill School in Kingston and Falcons School in Putney both claimed the Government’s introduction of VAT on fees meant they no longer had the means to stay open, The Mail On Sunday said.

The Old Palace of John Whitgift School in Croydon, south London, Ursuline Prep in Ilford, east London, and London Acorn in Morden, south-west London, also shut their doors last year.

More recent closures include The Cedars School in Croydon, an all-boys senior school which shut in September, and Oak Heights, a co-ed senior school in Hounslow, west London, which closed in October.

Other closures include Queen Margaret’s School for Girls in York last summer, with governors citing “mounting financial pressures” as a reason for the shutdown.

Carrdus School in Banbury, owned by private girls’ school Tudor Hall, and Maidwell Hall in Northamptonshire, whose alumni include Earl Spencer, also closed recently.

A government spokesperson said on Sunday: “This manufactured crisis of pupils leaving the private sector and putting pressure on the state system has failed to materialise.

“Our data shows pupil numbers remain firmly within historical patterns seen for over the last 20 years, and the rate of children getting a place at one of their preferred primary schools is the second highest on record.

“Ending tax breaks for private schools will raise £1.8 billion a year by 2029/30 to help fund public services, including supporting the 94 per cent of children in state schools, to help ensure excellence everywhere for every child.”