Labour scolded for 'misguided' tax raid on private schools as headteacher fears for further pupil drop-outs: 'It's a tax on parents!'

Pupils have been forced to withdraw from private schools as Labour’s controversial VAT policy takes effect, a private school headteacher has claimed.

LVS Ascot headteacher Christine Cunniffe revealed that her school experienced an eight per cent drop in pupil numbers in September, with more students leaving at the end of December.

Sir Keir Starmer’s Government is imposing the 20 per cent VAT levy on private school fees in a bid to raise £1.6billion to recruit 6,500 state school teachers.

The policy, which takes effect from today, has sparked criticism for its mid-year implementation.

Parents have already given notice for their children to finish at the end of last term, Cunniffe told GB News, warning of a “further drop” to come.

“It’s very misguided of the Government to think that small schools in particular, can pass on that amount of discount to their parents,” Cunniffe said.

Cunniffe also emphasised that the policy represents a tax on parents rather than schools.

“We have to remember that it is a tax on parents. It’s actually not a tax on schools,” she told GB News.

She warned that smaller institutions, including faith schools and those catering for children with special needs, would be particularly affected.

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“The general public are being told that this is a tax break for schools. It’s not, we’ve never been taxed on education before,” she added.

Parents are being taxed on “already tax paid money” they are choosing to spend on their children’s education, according to Cunniffe.

Julie Robinson, CEO of the Independent Schools Council, also warned that the policy would “undermine” private education.

“The Government’s rushed tax policy targeting independent schools will do significant damage to the educational opportunities available to children in independent and state schools,” she told the Mail.

A Treasury spokesman defended the policy, saying it would raise £1.8billion annually by 2029.

This funding “will help the 94 per cent of children in state schools to achieve and thrive,” the spokesman said.

The Treasury maintained that schools and parents have had “nearly five months to prepare for the changes.” They argued it was right to introduce the measures as soon as possible “to help deliver our education priorities.”

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson also claimed that middle-class parents support the tax raid, stating they have been “priced out” of private education.

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