Private school tax breaks ‘a luxury we cannot afford’, says education secretary

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery Keir Starmer has promised to ‘give children the best start in life’ Promising to wear the policy as “a badge of honour” if it drives up standards in state schools, Ms Phillipson said it was supported by “middle-class parents in good professional jobs with housing costs just can’t afford that level of fee" and want "brilliant state schools". “This government is choosing to invest in fixing the foundations of our state schools so we can drive the high and rising standards that transform children’s life chances.” But, in a warning over the impact of the policy, Oxfordshire County Council said parents who can no longer afford private school places may find themselves without a school place for their children next month. The Independent Schools Council, which represents private schools, said on Sunday that the negative effects of Labour’s “tax on education” would be felt by families and children across state and independent schools. “The government should now lay out what effect this misguided policy will have on the families of the 100,000 children with special educational needs currently at independent schools who do not have education, health and care plans.” open image in gallery The changes will hit private school fees from January 1, and will capture those who paid in advance from July 29 onwards The Independent also revealed in October that smaller independent schools, already struggling financially, had seen more than a quarter of parents offered places for the upcoming academic years for their children choosing not to accept them by the end of July – compared with a usual figure of 10-15 per cent.