In my closing messages at the end of last term, I was delighted to share with you the Principal’s Court Report, covering the last two years formally highlighting some key milestones and achievements. If you missed the link to the digital report, you can find that here, and if you would like a hard copy, please pick one up from the school office or the check-in desks at any of the forthcoming parents’ evenings.
I also wrote the following:
| If there is One Thing you can do for Claires Court over the break…It’s to pass on in your friendship groups and communication channels just how positive our school remains about the future ahead for our children. The Carol services at the end of term were true celebrations of how we collaborate and how musical and choral scholarship continues to grow across the years. All the many plans we continue to develop have your children at the heart of why we come to work and what we do. As we highlighted in our previous communication, we will continue to work on business efficiencies, develop further our existing relationships and work on new out-of-school partnerships to bring additional revenue in too. |
Firstly, thank you for your ongoing recommendations and introductions of new families and pupils to the school; we have welcomed many new joiners from Juniors to Seniors last term and have registered more to join in the summer term and beyond.
Taking into account the increased pupil numbers , together with the scheduled business efficiencies we continue to make and plan for the future, , the Principals do not want to increase fees for September 2025. However, whilst we intend to offer the current school fees for September 2025, we have to remain very cautious. -One of the elements to consider when evaluating is that the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave no prior warning to business about the tax hikes she introduced at her last budget; the current media speculation is that further tax changes are inevitable. The Chancellor is set to make her Spring Statement on 26 March and we will update you further over the Easter break.
We do draw heart though that the Law Lords have decided that an early hearing of the legal challenge to the Government’s VAT on fees policy is required. This will take place in the High Court between 1 and 3 April. Lord Pannick KC, representing the six families who brought the claim, supported by the Independent Schools Council (our trade body), will claim the introduction of the tax on fees impedes access to education at independent schools and is incompatible with the right to education as per Article 2 of the First Protocol of the European Convention on Human Rights. Lord Pannick will also argue the policy infringes Article 14 of the Convention because it causes unnecessary and discriminatory harm to certain categories of children. Throughout the country, state and independent schools are providing the evidence Lord Pannick needs to support the case being presented, made even stronger by the bizarre benefit (announced this week) being given to the US military to benefit from VAT-free fees, but not permitted to our own military or those European families choosing to use their own nations’ schools based in the UK.
As Academic Principal, I have remained at the forefront of the campaign ‘Education not Taxation’ group. I find the rhetoric regarding the fact that schools enjoyed a tax loophole disingenuous. The imposition of VAT is a new tax levied on private schools and state further education colleges. In addition, all charity schools are affected by the additional loss of 80% business rates relief, though as Claires Court already pays both corporation tax and full business rates, we’ve factored these into our costs previously. These changes, coupled with the increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions are clearly causing considerable damage across the private school sector, and we can but feel great sympathy for the families of schools now forced to close, such as Highfield Prep School here in Maidenhead and its sister in Belsize Park, The Village School for Girls. These changes have also seriously impacted both Eton End School in Datchet and High March School in Gerrards Cross, which have changed ownership structures as a consequence.
Through this active work, I’ve connected with Ana Boulter, BBC presenter through her active campaigning against the new tax. If you have not discovered Ana’s channel, please do check her out here – https://www.youtube.com/@anaboulterTV.. Next week I am working in the ISC buildings with our Association on allied matters, and also meeting with one of the Labour Party’s strongest supporters of this policy, Professor Frances Green, UCL. It’s only by working such hard yards that we can seek to open up the Government to discuss more openly the negative aspects of this policy. Parliament is alive with discussions in both Houses, and our sector is getting much more cross-party support for the great work we do for education in the UK and worldwide.
And finally – looking forwards… Monday 3 February Building works commence for the installation of a new pavilion to provide the central examination space for the Sixth Form during public examinations from May to July, as well as a recreation and study area for their use from September onwards. The schematic below shows the artist impression of the building view from the playing field:
February Half-term Our official sign-off of the new Food Technology facility by Modual Aspects takes place, with their attention switching to the installation of the new Music School scheduled for Summer 2025.
Friday 7 March Save the Date – the Claires Court PTA AGM followed by the Official Opening of our MUGA at CCJ – timings to follow.
Our PTA President, Phyllis Avery MBE will be leading the AGM during the school lunch break, sandwiches for all attendees, with reports from the various sections and elections for next year’s officers. After the AGM, we are delighted that our various talented sports stars across the school are to demonstrate their skills to the full, officiated by Steve Rider, Sports Commentator and great friend of ours.
I hope parents and guardians are able to join us for the PTA AGM, to learn of the major new projects we have received contributions to commence, and to celebrate the amazing support our Trustees and PTA Chairs bring to these fundraising efforts for the school.
Dolly Parton is not perhaps the most likely person I should quote when completing my notes to parents, but “The magic is inside you, there ain’t no crystal ball” hits the consciousness smack between the eyes. When I see what’s happening all around the school and beyond and through the magic of the school‘s App, Claires Court’s students and staff are showing their magic everywhere, in the classroom, on the playing fields and on the water, in the wider community and at international conferences and presentations. If you don’t have the App yet, please download it – there’s a reminder by the hour of us #CCMakingHistory.
A Principled view 