Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help support children with SEND whose parents cannot afford to pay for a private education following the application of VAT to private school fees.

This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and ensuring every child has access to high quality education. The government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. We are committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater for those with the most complex needs.

Local authorities fund pupils’ places in private schools where their needs can only be met in a private school. For example, in England, where attendance at that private school is required by a child’s education, health and care (EHC) plan, local authorities will be able to reclaim the VAT on the fees from HMRC.

The decision to move a child from a private to a state-funded school, or vice versa, is a matter for parents. The majority of children with special educational needs (SEN), including most with EHC plans, are already educated in mainstream state-funded schools where their needs are met. All children of compulsory age are entitled to a state-funded school place that is free for parents. Schools are required to identify and address the SEN of the pupils they support and to use their best endeavours to make sure that a child or young person with SEN gets the support they require.

The government works to support local authorities to ensure that every local area has sufficient places for children of compulsory school age who need them and works to provide appropriate support where pupils with SEN require places at state-funded schools.