A Christian perspective on the Labour VAT policy (part 1)
This opinion piece by Sam Brown, Deputy Headteacher at Fulham Boys School, presents one perspective on the topic. A contrasting viewpoint will be published in response and we recommend you read both articles! Please note that these articles reflect the authors’ views and do not necessarily represent ACT’s position.
Labour’s proposals to end the VAT-exemption on private school fees has understandably caused concern amongst the independent sector. It is a significant shift in the educational landscape and will certainly pose a threat to some independent schools, particular those that are not large, prestigious private schools with deep financial reserves. Having taught in both the independent and state sectors I know there are lots of exceptional independent schools that provide a brilliant education for students who can afford them whilst also offering a certain number of bursary places to students from other backgrounds.
A number of reasonable concerns have been raised about the proposals. Having had the independent/state status quo for so long the government needs to be sure there are good reasons for this decision rather than it being a popular vote-winning gesture. There are real worries about the number of pupils with SEND and the ability of the state sector to accommodate them if they are no longer able to afford to be in the private sector. And many, including experts in school finances and tax law, have cautioned that the decision has been made too quickly for schools to respond in a sensible and sustainable way.
However, from what I have seen, there is no indication that anything in the government’s approach is targeted at Christian schools or aimed at restricting Christian parents’ ability to raise their children in a godly way. I have long-admired the exceptional work of Christian Concern and the Christian Legal Centre, but I am surprised at their recent request for a judicial review on the grounds of discrimination: there is no attempt to persecute Christians in what the government is doing, and the debate needs to be focused on other issues. There are many good independent Christian schools in the country and I really feel for the headteachers and trustees who are facing the impact of the VAT changes in the near future. Small Christian independent schools may well be some of those that struggle because of the move, but, again, that will be because they are small independent schools, not because they are faith-based schools.
The real sadness of this whole story is that there are state Christian schools for parents to send their children to; in fact, there are thousands of them. And it is possible to have a clear, distinctive Christian ethos that has an impact on every area of school life, and there are state faith schools that do that, although (again, sadly) it doesn’t happen anywhere near as much as it should. It is something that my school has had as a foundational aim since its opening in 2014. Students hear clear Bible teaching in assemblies as we go through books of the Bible, there are Christian perspectives in RSE and there are popular CUs for every year group. The brilliance of state education, when it works well, is that it is truly open to everyone from every background, and for faith and church schools with a Christian ethos this should mean children and young people from all backgrounds get to encounter the truth claims of Jesus and the Bible.
There are huge gospel opportunities in the state sector, if we are only able to grasp them.
Sam Brown is Deputy Headteacher at The Fulham Boys School