Lord Bridges of Headley: DfE: Written Answers (1)

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Written Question

Private Education: Closures

Thursday 6th August 2026

Asked by: Lord Bridges of Headley (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the closure of private schools.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

School closures can be influenced by a range of factors, not just the VAT policy. While VAT may have compounded pressure, school closures cannot be attributed to VAT alone. Factors such as school performance, financial viability and demographic shifts also play a role. In the 2025/26 academic year, more private schools opened than closed. The department monitors the private school sector via the ‘Get Information about Schools’ (GIAS) system, which shows that between 1 September 2025 and 31 July 2026, 108 private schools opened and 51 closed.