Means-tested bursaries are based on assets, not just income, meaning many Londoners who live in high value properties but don’t have much to spare are missing out, says Henry Vaughan

Last year’s addition of VAT to school fees has taken its toll on parents and the independent school sector alike. 

Figures released by the Independent Schools Council earlier this month reveal that more than one hundred schools have closed since the tax change came into effect – with around one in five of those being in London and the surrounding area – effecting thousands of families. 

While the thinking behind the policy is that those with the broadest shoulders can bear more of the tax burden than the rest, the reality is somewhat more complex. 

Many parents who choose the independent sector for their children don’t have vast stores of disposable income. Many are, in fact, people who work hard and make sacrifices elsewhere to give their children the best start in life. Increases in school fees impact these aspirational parents the........

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