
During this week's Education Committee session, I raised concerns with the Secretary of State about a number of the Government's actions, including the removal of the Latin Excellence Programme, the cancellation of computer hubs that provide excellence in teaching and the scaling back of modern languages hubs.
I also raised the impact of the Government's VAT hike for independent schools. Constituents have told me of the disruption this has caused for many pupils in the middle of the school year, and particularly for those sitting GCSE or A-Level exams this year. This is all while adding sudden pressures to the state system with thousands of pupils applying to state schools since the announcement.
This tax will hit smaller private schools, with a disproportionate effect on families of children with special needs, and particular faith groups. The Government estimates that 100 schools will close over the next 3 years as a result of this measure.
I am disappointed that the Secretary of State was not able to say how the Government is mitigating these impacts in her response. The Government must also recognise that there are many small private schools that actually charge fees that are lower than what the state pays for education and this should be reflected in their legislation.