Anne Cotton, chairman of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC), which represents over 300 leading UK private schools including Eton and Harrow, warns that these institutions face "profound" financial pressure due to Labour's VAT on school fees introduced in January 2025. She notes that more than 100 private schools have closed since the tax was implemented, causing significant distress in local communities. Cotton emphasizes the importance of highlighting the contributions private schools make to public education and suggests advocating for their role in supporting state schools through resource sharing and other forms of collaboration.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-28,
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Story summary
Anne Cotton, chairman of HMC (formerly known as Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference), warned that private schools face significant financial pressure due to Labour's VAT on fees. HMC represents over 300 leading independent schools in the UK, including prestigious institutions like Eton and Harrow. Since the tax was introduced in January 2025, more than 100 private schools have closed, causing "shock" in communities according to Dr Cotton, who is also the head of King's College School in Wimbledon. Despite many top-tier schools not being at immediate risk of closure, she emphasized that they could play a role in advocating for the sector during this challenging time.
Written for “School Closures Financial Pressure” on 2026-10-05,
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Private schools are under 'profound' financial pressure due to Labour's VAT on fees, a top head teacher has said.
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teacher → see → fees
Anne Cotton, chairman of HMC, which represents more than 300 leading independent schools in the UK, said the resulting closures have caused 'shock' in communities.
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closures → represent → communities
She said the last two years – after the tax was introduced in January 2025 – had been 'really tough' for many schools.
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tax → say → schools
It comes after the Independent Schools Council suggested that more than 100 private schools had closed since the introduction of VAT on fees.
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schools → come → fees
Dr Cotton, head of King's College School in Wimbledon, said it is an 'important and challenging time' for the sector.
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it → say → sector
HMC, which originally stood for the 'Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference', represents the UK's most expensive and elite schools, including Eton and Harrow.
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which → stand → Eton
Many of those schools are not at risk of financial collapse, but Dr Cotton said they could take part in 'positive advocacy' on behalf of the rest of the sector.
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they → say → sector
Addressing the HMC annual conference in Manchester, she said: 'The last couple of years have been – they are – really tough, and I am conscious that for some schools, for some regions, the pressures are profound.
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pressures → address → regions
Private schools are under 'profound' financial pressure due to Labour's VAT on fees, a top head teacher has said.
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teacher → say → fees
Pictured: Anne Cotton, head of King's College School in Wimbledon
Dr Cotton, chairman of HMC, which represents more than 300 leading independent schools in the UK, said closures have caused 'shock' in communities.
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closures → picture → communities
The closure of schools, the impact of those closures, on young people, on their families, on staff, on the wider communities they serve, on colleagues and friends, on you, has touched all of us.
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they → serve → us
I have joined divisional meetings where the shock and impact of the closure of a neighbouring school have been tangible.'
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shock → join → school
Labour justified the 20 per cent tax by saying it would pay for improvements to the state education system, including 6,500 new teachers.
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it → justify → teachers
However, it has hit the financial viability of smaller, cheaper schools, which had to add the tax onto their fees despite catering for a less wealthy demographic.
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which → hit → demographic
Many families were priced out of their schools, and had to switch to the state sector instead, leading to a drop in numbers.
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families → price → numbers
The private sector insists it already helps the state sector through sharing resources, buildings and playing fields.
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it → insist → resources
Dr Cotton highlighted existing 'powerful partnership work' between independent schools and state schools, charities and local organisations.
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Cotton → highlight → schools
She said: 'Going forward, making that positive collective contribution visible will be an important focus for the HMC team.
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contribution → say → team
'That positive advocacy will be accompanied by a continued focus on navigating the challenges of the last couple of years.'
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advocacy → accompany → years
The Department for Education has been contacted for comment.
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Department → contact → comment
The Aporia
