Christian private school blames Labour’s VAT raid because it weighs up closure

Malvern St James School has announced that it’s going to likely be closing its doors at the tip of the present academic 12 months, specifically citing Labour’s controversial imposition of VAT on private school fees as a key cause.

In a press release, the college, which has a Christian ethos and has existed for over a century, said that despite “sustained efforts” to offer the college a viable future it had seen a “significant and continuing decline in pupil numbers”.

However, it added that Labour’s controversial VAT fees on private education and increasing employment costs were an element. 

“Nationally, the introduction of VAT on school fees and increased employment costs have placed considerable pressure on the independent sector,” it said.

“Locally, the small class sizes and highly individualised education which can be so valued by our parents and pupils mean that the college’s current model has develop into increasingly difficult to sustain.”

The school said that efforts can be made to make sure the education of its current students can be unaffected and said that a “planned and orderly closure” can be going down “subject to consultation with staff”.

Former Sky News presenter Colin Brazier lamented the news and accused Labour of “ideological vandalism”.

Labour’s imposition of VAT on private school fees has been heavily criticised, with opponents noting that it disproportionately impacts smaller independent schools, a lot of them Christian, which try and provide quality education to those from working and lower-middle class backgrounds. Meanwhile the true engines of privilege like Eton, Rugby and Harrow are able to weathering the financial storm.

According to some estimates, as many as 100 independent schools have needed to close in consequence of the policy.

A legal challenge against the VAT policy that was mounted by a bunch of Christian schools, parents and students was rejected earlier this 12 months by the Court of Appeal, although an extra appeal to the Supreme Court is currently being planned.

At the time of the Court of Appeal Ruling, Andrea Williams, CEO of the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting the group, described the policy as a “deep injustice”.

“Not everyone can home‑educate, and low‑cost Christian schools are already being forced to shut under the burden of those policies,” she said. 

“Through this and other measures, the federal government is making it increasingly difficult for fogeys to shape their children’s education. It is centralising control over education, and in doing so, exerting control over our future.”