The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading providers of specialist care and education to vulnerable children and young people, has called on the Scottish Government to use funding from adding VAT onto private school fees to increase support to those with ASN in state schools.
The UK Labour Government reiterated its manifesto commitment to increase VAT on school fees – at the standard rate of 20 per cent - in the recent King’s Speech. This could potentially boost Scottish Government education spend by £150 million (although it should be noted that this figure does not take account of pupils leaving the independent sector and thereby not contributing).
In addition, the SCSC has raised concerns over the impact that potential displacement of those with ASN from private schools into the state sector will have.
A high percentage of children in private education, estimated at around 9,000, have ASN, and many will have their learning disrupted, by being forced to leave their school, causing them significant problems.
Local authorities will also have to accommodate more pupils in already under-resourced schools and be required to increase funding to support these.
There has been a near doubling (96.8 per cent) between 2013 and 2023 in the number of pupils identified with ASN in state schools, from 131,593 to 259,036, amounting to 123,628 individuals. This includes those with mental health problems, learning disability, autism and dyslexia, and currentlyrepresents more than a third of all pupils (36.7 per cent).
However, this comes against a background of spending cuts and reductions in specialist support.
Between 2013 and 2023, for example, the number of ASN teachers has fallen from 3,290 to 2,898, a decrease of 392 teachers, representing a cut of 11.9 per cent.
A spokesperson for the SCSC commented:
“We would urge that any additional funding that comes through adding VAT to private school fees is used to support those with ASN in our state schools, giving those who need it the care and support that they need, and supporting closing the educational attainment gap.
“However, we would urge caution when it comes to adding VAT on fees for those with ASN, as this will have a potential major impact.
“Many of these will be forced to leave school, with their learning disrupted and further exacerbating pressures on an already over-stretched state sector, which is having difficulty coping, and brings further costs to local authorities.
“Clarification is needed from the Scottish Government as to how it intends to address the issue of adding VAT to fees for those with pupils with ASN.”
ENDS
For further information please contact Alex Orr, Policy Adviser to the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition, on 0131 603 8996 or [email protected].
Notes to Editors
About the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition
The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC) is an alliance of leading providers of specialist care and education to vulnerable children and young people, as well as support to their families or carers.
It seeks to improve the lives of these children and young people, and its vision is to make Scotland the best place in the world for them to grow up in.
The SCSC aims to achieve this through campaigning to improve support for these vulnerable individuals. This seeks to ensure that a wide range of high-quality, well-resourced and easily accessible services is provided. Tailored to individual needs this will help them to achieve their full potential.
Members of the SCSC are:
