An independent school in Hampshire will absorb the cost of a rise in school fees, it has told parents. 

Ballard School in New Milton has told the Daily Echo how it will support families as VAT is applied to school fees from January - absorbing the cost until September 2025. 

Labour pledged to apply 20 per cent VAT to school fees in the general election campaign, and following the party's victory, announced it would apply from January.

Ballard headmaster Andrew McCleave, pictured, has written to the families of all 460 pupils, as well as those starting in September, to reassure them that the school will support them through this change.

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Plans include absorbing 100 per cent of the cost initially.

Then, from September 2025, there will be a phased increase in parental contributions to cover VAT over the coming years.

The school is also hopeful it will be able to limit the overall impact on parents, anticipating it will be able to cover 4 per cent through claiming back the VAT the school itself pays on goods and services.

Mr McCleave said: “The Governors and the Leadership Team have been discussing and planning for this for a considerable time, with the aim of supporting families, allowing them to plan effectively, and so reducing the disruption to our children’s education.

“Careful financial management and planning from the school’s Board of Governors and Leadership Team over a number of years means the school is in a strong financial position which has enabled us to support our community in this way.

“As well as absorbing the full impact for two full school terms, we will continue to support parents by only increasing fees incrementally over time to ensure our pupils’ education is not disturbed and ease the burden on hardworking families. We know many make tough choices to send their children to Ballard, and we are determined to help all our families through this.

“As a charity, any surplus is reinvested back into the school and the opportunities we provide for our pupils, and that will continue to be the case. Our commitment remains unwavering: to provide a holistic and inspirational education for our pupils and to support the whole school community, in line with our charitable aims."