Introducing a short debate on the importance of independent schools within the education sector on 18th March, Guy – who is Chairman of Governors at Brentwood School in Essex - warned that placing VAT on school fees would threaten vital partnerships between the state and independent sectors and put at risk hundreds of small schools, many providing special needs education.

In response, Minster Baroness Barron said: “I absolutely agree and I thank Brentwood School and other schools involved in the types of partnerships that he described. We have such an asset in our independent schools, and this Government are focusing on encouraging more partnership work and understanding how all our pupils can benefit from that.”

The full text is here.

ENDS