This article was last updated on April 16, 2022
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The shadow education secretary, Tristram Hunt has warned the private schools over stripping their tax privileges worth an estimated £700 million if they fail to contribute to help the state sector under a Labour government.
The Labour party have urged the independent schools to do more to break down the “Berlin Wall” in the education system by helping state schools.
Mr Hunt claims that posh schools have done very minimum to break down the “corrosive divide of privilege” that exists between the private and state sectors, and said that the existing division between state and private schools “damages our society, stifles opportunity and, by wasting talent, inflicts damage upon our economy”.
The shadow education secretary has outlined the ways for the independent schools through which they may opt to contribute in making the society balanced and better. Mr Hunt wants them to provide teachers in specialist subjects to state schools, share expertise to help state school pupils into top universities and to run joint extra-curricular programmes with local schools.
As a motivation factor, the posh schools would be asked to earn the tax breaks by supporting the pupils of local schools.
Mr Hunt has cautioned: “The next government will say to them: step up and play your part. Earn your keep. Because the time you could expect something for nothing is over.”
He has also accused the Conservatives of not doing much “to breach this Berlin Wall in our education system”.
The proposed plan would need an independent school to sign a partnership agreement with a state school, setting out a “schools partnership standard” under which a private school could continue to enjoy business rate relief.
The shadow education secretary argues: “Created in a culture of philanthropy and Christian duty, too many independent schools have become barriers to British educational success.
“Some private schools want to overcome this division, but most do not. It is time to stop asking politely.”
His plan is perhaps Labour’s most eye-catching policy to promote social mobility and is likely to be welcomed by majority on the left.
However, with Labour’s fresh move, a renewed row is also likely to emerge with the private schools sector.
The chairman of the Independent Schools Council, Barnaby Lenon has argued that removing business rate relief would be “a very ineffective tool” to improve social mobility.
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