School Admissions: Selective Inclusion

Lord Young of Acton Excerpts

Monday 8th June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

I think we need to make sure that all schools achieve the levels of inclusive education necessary to support children with special educational needs and disabilities. That is the reason for the investment we are putting in place, the emphasis we are placing on inclusion—for example, through our RISE teams across the country—and the new emphasis that Ofsted will have, when inspecting schools, on the inclusive nature of what is being offered within them.

[Lord Young of Acton (Con)]

My Lords, I declare an interest as a member of the Knowledge Schools Trust. In light of this Sutton Trust report, does the Minister share my misgivings about the Government’s decision to impose VAT on independent school fees? The 30,000 pupils who have now left the independent sector will be beating a path to the doors of these 500 high-performing comprehensives, which will mean even fewer places for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

No, not least because, if we are to put the investment into our state schools that the 94% of children who use them need, we need to ensure that that is properly funded. On concerns about independent school closures, which I understand, I am sure noble Lords will be reassured that in 2025 more private schools opened than closed. There are 41 more independent schools in 2026 compared with 2025 and, in fact, the overall fall in private school pupil numbers reflects demographic change across the whole school system.