Julie Robinson, chief executive of the ISC, has said the impact of Labour’s VAT on fees policy has been greater than ministers anticipated as ISC data reveals the number of children at independent schools has fallen by 30,000 since January 2025.
Speaking to The Times, Ms Robinson said: “Behind these figures are families facing difficult financial decisions and schools working hard to preserve the opportunities, expertise and support that parents value. These trends demonstrate that policy decisions can have real consequences for families’ educational choices.”
In a subsequent interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Ms Robinson was asked to explain the fall in pupil numbers. Responding to host Anna Foster’s question, Ms Robinson said: “We know there is a range of factors at play… but this change is the biggest reduction in pupil numbers across independent schools since ISC records began, and it can’t be explained by demographic changes alone.”
Referencing the ISC’s new figures, she said: “This evidence suggests the impact is greater than [ministers] predicted,” adding that “state schools aren’t seeing the benefit.”
Reiterating the ISC’s call for the government to reverse its tax policy, Ms Robinson highlighted the partnership work taking place across the country that sees “schools of all kinds working together in the community to broaden educational opportunities for all children”. She concluded: “We are looking for greater recognition of the role independent schools play in helping to deliver on the government’s educational priorities.”