The announcement that Highclare School will consolidate its Birmingham Road site in Wylde Green with its St Paul’s campus is deeply concerning for local families, staff and our wider community.
Highclare has been part of the educational fabric of Sutton Coldfield for generations, providing parents with choice and delivering excellent outcomes for pupils. The loss of a long-established site is not something that should be dismissed lightly.
While a range of factors will always influence decisions made by schools, Highclare has identified the Government’s decision to impose VAT on independent school fees as the single key contributory factor. This is precisely the type of consequence that many of us warned about when Labour announced this policy.
From the outset, I opposed this measure because it was driven by ideology rather than evidence. It was presented as a simple tax change to pay for more teachers, but the reality is far more complex. Increased costs inevitably place pressure on schools and families alike. Some parents are forced to make difficult decisions about their children’s education, schools face financial uncertainty, and staff are left wondering what the future holds. Additionally, the funds raised are no where near the amount projected with the pressure being passed onto state schools. And the projected increase in teachers has not materialised.
The impact extends far beyond individual schools. Independent schools play an important role within our wider education ecosystem, often relieving pressure on state school places and contributing significantly to local communities. When schools are forced to reduce provision, consolidate sites or, in some cases, close altogether, the consequences are felt by everyone.
This concern led me to write directly to the Secretary of State for Education. In my letter, I highlighted the growing evidence that the policy is having exactly the effect critics predicted.
As I wrote:
“The evidence emerging during the first full year of implementation that this policy is detrimental to pupils, families, schools and taxpayers and directly leading to the closure of independent schools, such as Highclare in my ward, is becoming overwhelming and can no longer be ignored.”
The situation at Highclare reinforces that warning. What is happening in Wylde Green is not an abstract policy debate being played out in Westminster. It is affecting real families, real pupils, real teachers and real communities.
Parents should be free to choose the education they believe is best for their children. A diverse education system, offering different pathways and opportunities, benefits everyone. Government policy should support educational excellence wherever it exists, not create barriers that limit choice and undermine successful institutions.
I will continue to challenge this damaging policy and stand up for parental choice, educational diversity and the families affected by these decisions.
The future of our children’s education should be shaped by what works best for pupils, not by political ideology.
Read more about Highclare School’s announcement here: Birmingham Mail report.
Read more about my letter to the Sec of State here: Letter to Rt. Hon. Brigid Phillipson MP