Congratulations to Andrew Lewer for raising awareness on the issues involved in the proposed changes to VAT and Business Rates for Independent and Private Schools. I look forward to reading the Hansard Record of the debate
Fundamentally this will become a whole sector issue if this proposed disruption is occurs. This will impact on all families, schools and communities.
Instead of disruption Headteachers and School Governors from across the education sector need to take the lead and demonstrate how granting charitable status for some schools can be evaluated and earned. This needs to be centrally assessed and since it is the independent / private schools that are most under threat they should probably be taking the lead but not as lone voices but as a collective working with groups of Heads and Governors from across the sector.
I want to hear the voice of a collective cross-sector group of Headteachers saying that they will work with any Government to improve the social impact that schools can have on their communities and particularly on those on Free School Meals and Pupils Premium. That positive strategy should be communicated currently.
We need to demonstrate how well the two sectors work together. I have seen this throughout my working life in education and charity. Disruption will harm the whole of the sector. I do not want to be a lone voice #PARENTSUPINARMS #SCHOOLSUPINARMS #HEADTEACHERSUPINARMS