The Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has defended the government’s decision to end tax exemptions for private schools, calling them a “luxury we cannot afford.” In an op-ed for the Telegraph, Phillipson said that very few families would leave private schools as a result, while emphasising the need for investment in the state education system. The measure, announced in the recent autumn budget, is expected to raise £1.8bn annually by 2029.
However, the Independent Schools Council (ISC), which represents most of the UK’s private schools, criticised the change. The ISC’s Chief Executive, Julie Robinson, argued that the forecasts of money raised by the measure were estimates, not facts, and that the costs of educating more children in the state sector would be expensive. Robinson also warned that children and families across state and independent schools would feel the “negative effects” of the change.
Phillipson defended the policy, arguing that investing in high-quality teaching in mathematics, science, and technology subjects was essential to raise standards and improve life chances. The Education Secretary also said that teachers in these subjects were in short supply, and that ending the tax exemptions for private schools would help make it feasible to recruit more. Fiona Millar, a campaigner for state education, said the changes were “overdue”, and emphasised the need for investment.
During her op-ed, Phillipson also highlighted the impact that private schools had on social mobility. In the UK, only 7% of children are privately educated. She argued that creating a good standard of state education would be vital in increasing social mobility, raising standards, and ensuring that the UK’s economy was strong and competitive. Phillipson also criticised some conversations surrounding the change as ‘scaremongering’ and said that many middle-class parents who were priced out of private education would welcome the switch
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