'Fear' of Labour's VAT change is already driving families away from Scottish private school
The headteacher of a major Scottish private school has admitted “fear” among parents about an imminent VAT change is already leading to a downturn in enrolments.
Anthony Simpson, principal of the Erskine Stewart’s Melville Schools in Edinburgh, described Labour’s decision to end the VAT exemption on private school fees from January as “ideological”.
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Hide AdESMS recently announced plans to avert substantial fee rises by merging the Mary Erskine school for girls and Stewart's Melville College for boys. However, The Scotsman revealed this month the move had provoked a backlash from staff and students.
More than 200 people have now backed an online petition started by an “outraged” student at Mary Erskine, which calls on ESMS to reconsider the merger, scheduled for the start of the 2026/27 academic year.
In an interview with the BBC ahead of the UK Budget on Wednesday, Mr Simpson said he was already detecting a drop off in students starting at his schools, and prospective pupils were now heading towards a state sector where "there aren't any spaces".
“It's not even VAT, it’s the fear of VAT being imposed that's been the impact on us so far,” he said.
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Hide AdThe principal added: "I’ve never thought of what I’m doing as a product. I've thought of it as trying to help society."
The new school, which includes the ESMS Junior School, will collectively be named “Erskine Stewart Melville” and will provide education for pupils aged three to 18.
The schools previously operated what is known as “a diamond structure”, with girls and boys educated together in the junior school and then separated for the bulk of secondary before coming back together for the final year.
The change will leave just three single-sex schools in Scotland - the all-boys Merchiston Castle and all-girls St George’s in Edinburgh, and St Margaret’s School for Girls in Aberdeen.
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Hide AdCity of Edinburgh Council has said its schools have capacity for a further 12,700 pupils.
On Sunday, The Scotsman reported how Edinburgh Montessori Arts School was facing redundancies and disruption as a result of the VAT policy.
A UK government spokesperson has said: “We want to ensure all children have the best chance in life to succeed. Ending tax breaks on private schools will help to raise the revenue needed to fund our education priorities for next year.”
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