Tax exemptions for private schools are a “luxury we cannot afford”, the education secretary said ahead of the new policy taking effect.
Bridget Phillipson defended the Government’s decision to end the exemption from Wednesday.
Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, she said “very few” families left school as a result. Separately, she told the Sunday Times that middle-class parents are already being “priced out” of private education, so they have their support.
The Conservative Party called the decision “a retaliatory policy that will worsen the education of all children, regardless of the school in which they are educated.”
The policy was outlined by Premier Rachel Reeves during the fall budget.
The money raised will be used to invest in state schools and recruit teachers, Mr Phillipson wrote in the Telegraph. He added that £1.8 billion a year would be raised by 2029-30.
But the Independent Schools Council (ISC), which represents most private schools in England, said the money the government claimed it would raise was “an estimate and not a fact”.
ISC CEO Julie Robinson said on Sunday: “The negative impact of this unprecedented tax on education will be felt by families and children in state and independent schools.”
Ms Robinson said they were not alone in predicting the policy would “strain the public purse and potentially damage state education” by making it more expensive to educate more children. added.
Mr Phillipson said around 93% of children in the UK currently attend state schools.
Mr Phillipson said the government had promised to use the money raised through the policy to hire an additional 6,500 teachers.
He added that “high quality” education has the biggest impact on children’s learning, but “the pipeline of teachers in some key subjects is drying up”.
Schools are struggling to hire teachers for math, science, design and technology, she said.
Mr Phillipson added that government impact assessments show “very few” families are transferring from private schools.
However, the ISC reported in October that student attendance in secondary education in some private schools had fallen by 4.6%, as parents decided not to send their children to private schools. said.
Mr Phillipson acknowledged that the policy was an “emotionally charged” area and said some of the conversations surrounding it had been “fear-mongering”.
She also told the Sunday Times that although she had received abuse over the policy, she would wear it as a “badge of honour” if it meant raising standards in state schools.
He added that the policy was supported by “middle-class parents in high-quality professions and affordable housing,” who “couldn’t afford to pay that level of tuition.” He added that he would like to see a state-run school with the highest standards.
In his Telegraph article, Mr Phillipson highlighted the importance of investment in state schools, saying raising the standards of such facilities was “a path to better life chances… and a stronger society and economy”. said.
A Conservative Party spokesperson added: “The idea that middle-class parents are supporting this tough policy is simply not true.”
“Labour’s decision to tax education means thousands of hard-working parents will no longer be able to afford to send their children to private schools, including those with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities). means.”
