Private school enrolments this academic year have dropped 2.7% from the last, according to figures from the Independent Schools Council (ISC), reportedly the biggest fall since it started collecting data in 2011. The Times newspaper said the body believes Labour’s proposals to charge 20% VAT on private fees in England has put parents off choosing independent schools and forecasts numbers to fall further this autumn. The annual ISC data, which will be published next week, also shows a 0.1% drop in the overall numbers of pupils at private school, it was reported. A party spokesperson said: “Independent schools have raised fees above inflation for well over a decade, and parents will make choices for their family on that basis. “Independent schools do not have to pass Labour’s proposed change onto parents.”
