“Independent schools more connected to society than ever before” says Andrew Lewer MP in school fees and VAT debate

“Independent schools today are modern, diverse and inclusive places that often provide education and specialist provision where the state sector does not go,” said Andrew Lewer MP this week in Parliament.

He made these comments in a wide-ranging hour-long debate on "Independent school fees and VAT" which he led at Westminster Hall.

His clear and compelling speech, with “useful and constructive” contributions from other MPs, stated that any potential imposition of VAT in the future would not provide the economic benefit to state schools that others have claimed.

Andrew, who is chair of the all-party parliamentary group on independent education, established that the UK independent schools were inherently beneficial to the economy.?

They have “a total economic footprint that amounts to ￡16.5 billion, supporting 328,000 jobs and ￡5.1 billion in tax revenue”.

Moreover, “more than 600,000 children are educated in the independent schools’ sector in the UK, saving UK taxpayers more than ￡4 billion each year because those pupils are not educated in the state sector”.

“Furthermore, independent schools are more connected to society now than ever before, working with the state sector in partnerships and widening access through bursaries,” he added.

The full transcript in Hansard is available at: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Westminster%20Hall%20Debate/2024-02-21/debates/25893EE2-52BB-4F33-83AB-04B6FE18E522/web/#contribution-10623F40-13CE-4F39-A4F6-08DA1E20A863

A “brilliant and enlightening trip” to China for LVS Ascot’s Principal

Christine Cunniffe , Principal of LVS Ascot , has returned from “a fantastic week in Qingdao”, China arranged by Mark Brooks Education and one of our Chinese associates.

Christine enjoyed high-level meetings with the “Qingdao Government Bureau of Education and Sports and “a whirlwind but enlightening visit to six Jiaozhou public schools,” she says.

“I was delighted to be included in English lessons, meet pupils, experienced the curriculum and present our school to 41 teachers from Qingdao.? It was a brilliant trip!” she concludes.

Lindi Smit

Working smarter AND harder

There was an interesting, in-depth article in the Financial Times last weekend which gives an in-depth review of the #economic benefits to UK boarding schools in recruiting overseas boarders.

I am delighted to be quoted “The marketing teams are working smarter and harder, they are travelling the world to recruit more students, as a way to have a buffer should the VAT on school fees be implemented.”

The article quotes me as “an educational consultant who helps people apply from West Africa for dozens of British private schools.”

The girls and boys who join UK boarding schools from #Nigeria, #Ghana, #SouthAfrica and elsewhere also bring a unique combination of skills and talents from #leadership to #sport, #music, #art, #drama.

Also quoted in the article are: Gareth Collier Cardiff Sixth Form College Dukes Education, Simon Tyrrell, Wychwood, Oxford. Nicholas Pietrek Stafford Grammar School, the Boarding Schools' Association

“Girls First” at The Royal High School, Bath

“Above all else girls are first” says Sallie Taylor , Director of Marketing and Admissions at Royal High Bath, GDST in this extract from a full interview we filmed this week.

Tracey and I had an excellent visit and had a wonderful tour and in-depth meetings with many of the senior leadership team.

In this taster video Sallie talks about the school’s four key values which include “girls first”, “excellence in academic expectations”, “the confidence to try” and “kindness.”

“The school is very supportive for everyone” she says, and that was certainly the impression we were left with after our visit.

The school is one of more than 60 in the UK Boarding Schools Week magazine, read more about the school by reading their feature in this link

https://issuu.com/markbrookseducation/docs/ubsw_magazine_2023-12_v10/58

Lucy Ryder

ENDS