Independent faith schools have held talks with ministers over proposals to exempt small private establishments from VAT, with tuition fees significantly below those of elite schools such as Eton.
The organization, which represents more than 270 independent Jewish, Muslim and Christian faith schools that often rely on donations and volunteers to survive, will charge 20% VAT on tuition fees from January this year. They argue that the government's policy of adding up will force many schools to close, leaving religious families alone. There are no alternatives.
Industry leaders predict that some families may instead turn to unregistered, illegal schools or lightly regulated “homework clubs” with few safety measures.
“For the Christian, Jewish and Muslim families we represent, attending a faith school is not an option; it is essential to their way of life,” the group told the Guardian.
The principal of a Haredi Orthodox Jewish school in London said: “Parents in our region just can't afford the high fees and don't have the funds to make up the difference.'' . If this policy goes ahead, we will be forced to close our doors.
“As a result, thousands of Jewish children will be left without adequate educational options, and many parents will turn to home education as their only viable option.
“This will disrupt children's learning and place a huge burden on families who rely on our schools not only for their education but also for their cultural and religious continuity.”
The group includes the Islamic Schools Association, Chinook UK, which represents Haredi schools, the Christian Schools Trust and Seventh-day Adventist schools, and provides VAT relief on private school tuition fees of less than £7,690 a year. We are proposing an exemption.
Faith school leaders have discussed the proposal in a series of meetings since August with ministers and officials from the Treasury and Education Ministries.
The group told the Guardian it wanted the government to postpone the VAT addition until September next year to allow for an equal impact assessment of religious schools and their impact on local communities.
The organization added: “We argue that faith schools whose tuition fees are below the state sector per pupil funding level should be exempt from VAT. This cost-neutral relief will ensure that we It allows the families we represent to continue attending schools that reflect their beliefs and values.”
Those who took part in the discussion said it was received with interest. An MP who has lobbied ministers on behalf of faith schools said the Treasury objected to the complications the exemption would cause.
The Treasury is already working on accommodations for children of military families and students with special educational needs and disabilities who attend local government-funded independent schools. Ministers have suggested that children with an English education and health plan (EHCP) will be exempt from VAT.
A Treasury spokesperson said an assessment of the expected impact of the VAT policy would be published at the same time as the budget.
“We want to give every child the best chance to succeed in life. By eliminating tax breaks for private schools, we are supporting next year’s education priorities, including hiring 6,500 new teachers. It will help raise the revenue needed to provide the funding,” the spokesperson said.
The charity's calculations show that state schools spend an average of £7,620 per pupil. Most of the private faith schools involved charge below that standard, with some charging just £2,000 a year and others relying on donations.
On the other hand, Westminster School in London Daytime students cost £37,000. Lobby group the Independent Schools Council said its 1,400 schools collected an average of £18,000 in tuition fees last year.
Ismail Gangat, chairman and founding director of Azhar Academy School for Girls in East London, said: Rated 'outstanding' in all areas by Ofstedsaid school fees of up to £3,900 still represented a significant sacrifice for parents who worked as builders, taxi drivers and teachers.
“We are genuinely concerned that if a 20% VAT is proposed, parents will simply not be able to afford the costs of keeping schools affordable,” Gangat said. , added that the school's survival would be threatened if even a small number of students dropped out.
“We are convinced that the Secretary of State for Education, the Department of Education and its civil servants have no regard for our schools. It is as if we do not exist.”
