Kent private school forced to close after Rachel Reeves's 'vindictive' VAT raid on school fees (0.01276595744680851)

<iframe frameborder="0" height="100%" scrolling="no" src="https://www.gbnews.com/res/scraper/embed/?video_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmm-v2.simplestream.com%2Fiframe%2Fplayer.php%3Fkey%3D3Li3Nt2Qs8Ct3Xq9Fi5Uy0Mb2Bj0Qs%26player%3DGB003%26uvid%3D52918472%26type%3Dvod%26viously_id%3D8wBA2Jx-rRD" width="100%"></iframe><br/><p>A private school has been forced to close after citing Rachel Reeves's VAT raid on school fees as a key reason.</p><p>In a letter to parents, Bishop Challoner School in Bromley, Kent, stated that the introduction of the 20 per cent tax on school fees at the start of the year, along with an increase in Employers’ National Insurance contributions and a decline in pupil numbers, had made it economically unviable to continue operating. </p><h3></h3><br/><p>The school says it will close on July 4 to let students finish their exams, help parents find places for 270 students at other schools for the new academic year, and give more than 40 teachers time to seek new employment. </p><p>Responding to the latest private school closure, Shadow Education Minister, Neil O’Brien MP, said: “This is very sad news and will mean disruption for even more children. </p><p>“The numbers being forced to move school are already turning out to be far larger than the Government expected, which makes the tax counterproductive because it increases the amount the Government needs to spend.</p><h3></h3><br/><p>“They promised that the extra tax would pay for more teachers in state schools, but we now know that the number of teachers in the state sector is down under Labour.</p><p>O’Brien added: “The really big worry is that large numbers of children with special needs who are being managed in independent schools will have to move and that will load pressure onto the heavily loaded special needs system in the state sector.”</p><p>In January this year, a House of Commons Library briefing suggested that 37,000 pupils could leave the private system due to Labour’s VAT policy, with Department for Education figures indicating that over 11,000 have already done so.</p><p>While the ISC (Independent Schools Council) revealed that 12 independent schools had publicly attributed their closures to Labour’s VAT policy and pointed out that 77 independent schools (including specialist ones) had closed since October 2024, with VAT playing a significant factor in those decisions.</p><h3></h3><br/><img alt="\u200bLetter from Bishop Challoner School in Bromley announcing school closure" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4e8835acfc75323fea120821f734d197" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="a1f37" loading="lazy" src="https://www.gbnews.com/media-library/u200bletter-from-bishop-challoner-school-in-bromley-announcing-school-closure.png?id=61009169&width=980"/><h3></h3><br/><div class="embed-latest"></div><h3></h3><br/><p>Government Ministers have themselves acknowledged that they expect more than 100 private schools will close for good because of their VAT policy.</p><p>Reacting to the closure of Bishop Challoner school, local Conservative councillor, Adam Grant, said: “The decision to close the school is a devastating consequence of the Labour Government’s vindictive and ideological schools' tax, driving the cost of an independent education out of the reach of normal hard-working people.</p><p>“This closure impacts far more than just bricks and mortar. Dedicated staff are now facing unemployment — individuals with homes, families, and livelihoods at stake.</p><p>“Students, many of whom have known no other school, are being uprooted from their educational environment at a crucial time in their development.</p><h3></h3><br/><img alt="\u200b Bishop Challoner School's letter continued" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1203d1c2eb9104e69fc436883e72de87" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="5d6d2" loading="lazy" src="https://www.gbnews.com/media-library/u200b-bishop-challoner-school-s-letter-continued.png?id=61009173&width=980"/><h3></h3><br/><p>“They and their families now face the distressing challenge of securing alternative placements in a system already under significant strain.”</p><p>Grant fumed: “The emotional and practical toll this is taking on the Bishop Challoner community is profound.</p><p>“These are not just numbers or policy consequences — they are people, dreams, and futures.</p><p>“The imposition of VAT on independent school fees may be politically expedient, but the real cost is being borne by aspirational parents and their children who will now be forcibly removed from their friendship groups and face an uncertain future.”</p><h3></h3><br/><img alt="\u200b Bishop Challoner School" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bf2f14563f46bb29a6e36a727343e026" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="4c1ae" loading="lazy" src="https://www.gbnews.com/media-library/u200b-bishop-challoner-school.jpg?id=61009234&width=980"/><h3></h3><br/><div class="embed-dontmiss"></div><h3></h3><br/><p>A Government spokesman said: “Ending tax breaks for private schools will raise £1.8billion a year by 2029/30 to help fund public services, including supporting the 94 per cent of children in state schools to achieve and thrive.</p><p>“On average, around 50 mainstream private schools typically close each year.</p><p>“This is due to a range of reasons, including financial struggles and school standards issues.</p><p>“Local authorities and schools commonly support children and parents in these circumstances. We are confident in local state schools' ability to accommodate new pupils.”</p>