The Week Ahead Weekly Updates and Communication for Parents

The House of Lords has voted against the government's plan to end business rates relief for private schools in England that are charities.

Key Points:

• Lords' Decision: Peers supported an amendment to remove this provision from the Non-Domestic (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill.
• Government's Stance: The government argues that ending this relief would generate funds for state education.
• Opposition's Arguments: Those opposing the change, including Baroness Barran, argue that education should not be taxed, and that this measure could harm vulnerable children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). They also expressed concern about the pressure this would put on the state sector.
• Impact: The government's proposed change would have affected approximately 1,040 private schools.

The Independent Schools Council (ISC) has taken the UK government to the High Court to challenge the policy of placing VAT on independent school fees. The case will be heard during the first week in April.

Christian families and schools have joined this High Court legal challenge against the UK government's policy to add VAT to private and independent school fees. They argue that the policy is unlawful, discriminatory, and incompatible with their human rights. Their concerns include:

• The policy forces schools to increase costs, threatening access to faith-based education.
• It denies parents the right to raise their children in line with their beliefs.
• It could lead to the closure of faith-based schools.
• The policy disproportionately impacts parents who have chosen for their children to be educated in Christian schools with predominantly Christian teachers.