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2mo ago

Private school numbers in England fall by 1.9% after fee VAT introduction

Ministers credit demographic shifts for the drop as independent school leaders warn of an exodus that exceeds official projections.

The Government has insisted that the exodus of private school pupils has 'failed to materialise' (Photo: John Corry/Getty)
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Overview

  • The 20% VAT on private school fees took effect on January 1 and has been followed by a 1.9% drop in enrolment.
  • Department for Education data shows around 11,000 fewer private school pupils, down to 582,477, and a 0.7% fall in total school enrolment to 9.03 million.
  • The Education Department links the decline to demographic trends, noting the private sector population is now similar to 2021/22 levels as a primary bulge moves into secondaries.
  • Julie Robinson of the Independent Schools Council says about 8,000 more students have left private schools than the government’s initial estimate of 3,000.
  • The VAT policy is projected to raise £1.8 billion a year by 2029/30 to bolster state education funding.