Christian school in the UK collapses under 20 per cent VAT levy on private education
12-08-2025
Western Europe
Cornelis Boon, RD
Children eat during lunch-break at a primary school in London. Photo is of a different school than the one in the article. Photo AFP, Daniel Leal
Western Europe
A small conservative Christian primary school near Birmingham is about to close its doors. After the VAT rate for British private schools was increased to 20 per cent on January 1, the number of pupils at the King Alfred School halved.
The VAT rate “has destroyed our school”, says Hayley Bowen, co-founder of the Reformed primary school in Dudley. Until last year, the private school could charge parents a minimum of £6,000 per pupil per year. But since January 1, tuition fees have been forced to rise to £7,200, an increase that at least 60 per cent of parents could not afford. The number of pupils fell from 34 to 18.
However, Bowen is not giving up. To keep the school running next year, she is trying to raise nearly £170,000 (almost €200,000) through fundraising. An additional £545,000 (over €600,000) is needed to purchase and renovate a new school building.
Property
Until now, the premises had been rented from a Methodist church. However, after that, the congregation significantly increased the initially low rent, and the King Alfred School purchased a new school building. The asking price for that property still has to be paid to an intermediary.
Bowen and her husband founded the King Alfred School in 2021. According to them, it is “the first school in the United Kingdom to revive classical Christian education.” This type of education, based on Christian and classical principles, was common in the UK a hundred years ago, Bowen explains. “We start the day with prayer, singing, and Bible reading. All of our teaching is aimed at equipping our students with Christian virtues.”
It is a Reformed private school with an open admissions policy, says Bowen. In three years, the number of students grew rapidly from 9 to 34. That was until the 20 per cent VAT on private education was introduced. The fact that the British government also denied private schools their right to an 80 per cent exemption from property tax makes the situation even less optimistic for the King Alfred School.
Destruction
According to the social democratic ruling party Labour, the measures are intended to make expensive boarding schools such as Eton College less attractive. But parents who send their children to Christian private schools – and who have less money to spend – will also be affected. “Outrageous,” says Bowen. “This policy is simply intended to destroy small private schools.”
The measure has already forced at least 40 private educational institutions to close. King Alfred School faces the same fate if funds are not secured quickly enough. Bowen prays and labours to keep the school open. If the necessary funds are raised, she expects to be able to grow to 25 students in September.
This article was translated by CNE.news and published by the Dutch daily Reformatorisch Dagblad on August 11, 2025.
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