King Alfred School in Dudley has announced that it will be closing its doors thanks to the government’s decision to impose 20 per cent VAT on private school fees.
The school, which was only founded in 2021, has an explicitly Christian ethos and aims to impart a classical education and love of country to its students. It has also tried to operate in such a way as to be as affordable as possible.
In 2022 annual fees were just £4,000, but recently rose to £7,200. As a point of comparison a single term at Eton is £21,000.
Last month King Alfred’s headteacher, Tom Bowen, in an interview with activist Carl Benjamin, said that the imposition of the tax had been “devastating” for the school.
“The whole point … is a low cost independent school,” he said. “We thought people who have a little bit of disposable money could … invest that in their children’s education … Now with a 20% VAT charge on top has made that much much more difficult for families to access.”
Bowen pointed out that even at a school with relatively low fees like the King Alfred, the added VAT meant an extra £1,200 per child, something many families simply cannot afford.
Despite appeals to the supporters for funds to keep the school going, Bowen admitted that it would have to close.
In a statement Bowen said, “The school leadership fought until the very end to keep the school open through fundraising and attracting new students, but unfortunately, we were not in a position to continue.
“Since VAT was applied to fees, many existing and prospective families have informed us that they can no longer afford to meet rising costs and have withdrawn their children from the school and applications for next year.”
The school said it may seek to reopen under “a less hostile government” in the future.
So far at least 50 schools have been forced to close as a result of Labour’s VAT tax on private school fees.
The closure of King Alfred school has prompted additional concern that Christian schools may be disproportionately affected. Some have already closed, including the prestigious Kilgraston in Perthshire, which was Scotland's only independent Catholic school for girls.
Steve Beegoo, of Christian Concern, told The Telegraph, “It’s yet further evidence that low-cost, low-salary schools, providing excellent and innovative education, which save the state system money, are being financially targeted to the point of closure.”
