Two Bedford Borough MPs have written to the Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson MP, asking her to re-think one of the new Labour Government’s policies, which they believe will have a “negative impact on education for all of Bedfordshire’s pupils”.
Conservative MPs Blake Stephenson (Mid Bedfordshire) and Richard Fuller (North Bedfordshire) have said Labour’s plans to impose VAT on private school fees would result in fewer Bedfordshire pupils achieving their first choice state school.
They have said an existing strain on the secondary school system has left it “effectively full”.
The portfolio holder for education at Bedford Borough Council, Cllr Jane Walker (Conservative) confirmed this at a meeting on 19 June saying that the Borough had, “very, very limited places in our secondary schools”.
The two MPs have now warned that increased class sizes in local state schools if more pupils enter the state school system from the private and independent sector, could damage the education and attainment of pupils already at state schools and those new to the state system.
However, Bedford Independent research suggests any panic around a post-election private school “collapse” in Bedford may be unfounded, or at least it is too soon to tell what the impact would be.
Speaking to us last month, after irresponsible reporting in another publication, a spokesperson for the Harpur Trust, which oversees Bedford School, Bedford Girls’ School, Bedford Modern School and Pilgrims, confirmed that they had not seen any sign of any change in admissions.
“Admissions numbers are still changing (as they do each year) so it is too early to state what the impact might be from the proposed plans,” they said.
A source at a state primary school in the Borough also told the Bedford Independent that their admissions for 2024/25 had been unaffected.
Read: Fears of post-election private school “collapse” in Bedford proved unfounded
Earlier this year, approval was also given by the Department for Education (DfE) for a brand new secondary school in Bedford Borough to be run by Advantage Schools, which will provide an additional 750 state school places when it opens in 2027.
VAT charges from January
That, however, has not satisfied Blake Stephenson MP, who said: “As a local School Governor, I know how concerned local parents are about the impact of Labour’s planned Education Tax on Bedfordshire’s children.
“You elected me to stand up to this new Labour Government in the interest of local people, and alongside my Conservative colleagues I will continue to hold them to account.”
Adding his own take on their concerns, Richard Fuller MP added, “Blake and I recognise the particular challenges for Bedfordshire that this Labour tax on education will bring.
“Parents should not be penalised for making sacrifices such as family holidays in order to support their children’s education.
“This policy will double down on the pressure on classroom sizes in all our state secondary schools making it harder for Bedfordshire children to excel and local teachers to cope.
“We will be looking to the new Secretary of State for Education to have specific answers to Bedfordshire’s specific needs.”
Earlier this week, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the Government would apply a 20 per cent VAT charge to private education and boarding schools from January 2025.
The party estimates this will raise up to £1.5bn for state sector investment, including allowing the recruitment of 6,500 teachers.
However, the the Independent Schools Council (ISC) has warned it could result in some private schools closing, with Sarah Cunnane, of the ISC, telling The Times: “We have significant concerns about what this policy will mean for our schools and how many will close.
“School closures are inevitable, sadly, and ultimately that is going to affect the families who’ve chosen to use them and is going to disrupt thousands of children’s education,” she said.
