Overview

• The National Theatre charges private school pupils £12 per ticket for group bookings, 20% more than the £10 rate for state school students.
• The Royal Shakespeare Company applies a 60% premium, charging £16.50 for private school group tickets compared with £10 for state schools.
• Senior MPs and campaigners have urged the Charity Commission to investigate the two-tier pricing as discriminatory socio-economic engineering.
• The RSC has announced a review of its booking fees, while the National Theatre defends its longstanding policy as part of widening access efforts.
• Critics say the dispute has intensified since Labour introduced VAT on private school fees in January.