The Independent Schools Council (ISC), the private schools group, has been at the forefront of this legal fight. They’re suing the UK government’s new policy that slapped value-added tax (VAT) on private school fees. As families told the High Court, they claim that the state sector is failing to serve their education needs. The hearing is scheduled to go three days. A panel of three judges will hear it.
Among the families participating in the challenge are parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). They include children studying their faith in faith schools. They have campaigned to secure a declaration of incompatibility with Article 2 of the First Protocol of the European Convention on Human Rights. Together, each of these articles ensures that everyone has a right to education.
Lord Pannick is representing the ISC in the legal challenge. He is headmaster of King’s School in Hampshire, the UK’s oldest school, and represents 1,400 private schools nationwide through the Independent Schools Council. Caroline Santer, headteacher at the King’s School, points out that their school costs less than the government is spending to educate a child in a state school. Without a doubt, this approach is the best way to save taxpayers money.
The policy went into effect on January 1 and has been widely criticized as discriminatory. Families impacted by the VAT reversal are out and making their voices heard. They contend that the policy disregards the individual needs of their children and fails to take their economic circumstances into account. About a fourth of those affected by this new tax come from households that are below the median wealth.
In response to the challenges posed by the new VAT policy, Sir James Eadie KC, representing the government, articulated that parents should have the opportunity to choose “any private education for their child that they can afford.” He noted that some families would decide to homeschool their child. Many of them hold their heads down and simply do this to prevent having to bear the horrible burden of escalating fees.
SEND pupils with an education health and care plan can go to private schools. Their local council pays for these schools. Families not lucky enough to have these plans are sure to find themselves on the receiving end of the new private school VAT, adding financial strain. This ongoing crisis makes it harder for families to decide about their education options. Parents need to Philippine education account many depend on private education since public schools fail to serve their particular needs.
The ISC’s main argument for not making private schools pay VAT is that it is discriminatory to do so. They argue that this new policy undercuts parental choice for education. As the organization points out, either of those options could impose even more burdens for families who need specialized education for their children to overcome even more barriers. The ISC believes that this legal challenge is crucial in safeguarding educational rights and ensuring equitable access to education for all children.
Whether it’s tech, environmental organizations, or academia, the range of stakeholders that could benefit from the success of this case are extensive and diverse. This judgement is unique but it has the potential to disrupt private and state education systems in the UK. It can reshape the educational opportunities open to the countless families.
