Labour’s ‘harmful strategy’ to unbiased colleges is not going to be appeared on kindly by historical past after VAT tax raid, warns UK’s strongest schooling figures

One of the UK’s most powerful education figures has warned that history will not look kindly on the Labour Government for ‘its destructive approach to independent education’.

Speaking yesterday, Philip Britton, incoming Chair of the HMC, hit out at the ‘enormous and damaging change’ caused by the VAT on school fees tax since it was imposed in January.

The HMC, which is now known as The Heads’ Conference, represents hundreds of private schools around the UK including some of the country’s most prestigious schools such as Eton, Harrow and Westminster.

He said: ‘History will look back on this term as a moment of an unnecessarily destructive approach to independent education which in the end will be a detriment to all pupils.

‘During the last months great schools across the country have focused on the best interests of their pupils against enormous and damaging change introduced hastily and carelessly.

‘We have been working with HM Revenue and Customs to introduce VAT processes they are not ready for and whose implementation to the required timescale was unfair and unrealistic – yet as it is what must be done, we have done it.’

The policy and other financial pressures wrought by government policy have been cited in at least 15 private school closures or proposed closures since January when the 20% tax on fees was imposed.

An average of two schools a week have closed since the tax was controversially and hastily introduced midway through the academic year including St Anselm’s prep school near Bakewell in Derbyshire just this week.

Philip Britton hit out at the ‘enormous and damaging change’ caused by the VAT on school fees tax since it was imposed in January

Rachel Reeves confirmed the government’s plans to charge VAT on private school fees in her tax-raid Budget on October 30 last year

Mr Britton is the incoming chair of the HMC – which represents hundreds of private schools around the UK including some of the country’s most prestigious schools such as Eton (pictured), Harrow and Westminster

Mr Britton, the Head at £14,000 a year Bolton School, one of the UK’s largest independent schools with 2500 pupils, will lead the HMC from September.

He said the government’s ‘narrow mindedness’ was stopping the UK from ‘benefiting as much as the rest of the world from the strength of its own independent school sector’.

‘UK independent schools who are members of HMC are a core part of an international group of top quality schools with much to offer to UK education directly for our pupils and indirectly by collaboration and partnership for all pupils,’ he said.

And he also claimed the government had changed its rhetoric and reneged on its promise to spend any money raised from the VAT on school fees tax solely on state schools.

‘What has been done is done. It is sad and annoying and infuriating and pointless as recent statements (from the government) even show a blurring of lines about the funds going to state education.’

Meanwhile, Mr Britton says private schools have still been working for the good of all children despite the chaos imposed on them.

Mr Britton has warned that history will not look kindly on the Labour Government for ‘its destructive approach to independent education’

Mr Britton is the Head at £14,000 a year Bolton School, one of the UK’s largest independent schools with 2500 pupils and will lead the HMC from September

‘Schools have been still looking around them to identify how we can be part of continued improvement for the education of all pupils with partnership, innovation and sharing expertise.’

He has previously warned the historic school, which was founded in 1516, will be unable to fulfil its ambition of one in three pupils on a bursary by 2030 because of the VAT raid.

Mr Britton said: ‘From one in five to one in three will be much more difficult and will be slowed. That clearly is a detriment to children in the locality. That is a direct impact of VAT.’

The HMC is one of the partner organisations of the Independent School Council and has voted to take legal action against the government.

The Independent School Council’s legal action and that of parents of children with special educational needs who have crowdfunded to enable them to sue the government will be heard in the High Court next month.

The Mail on Sunday exclusively revealed last week that the Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who is the defendant in the landmark judicial review, has hired an astonishing four KCs to fight the government’s corner.

Meanwhile the parents whose case will be heard have crowdfunded to enable them to take action.