Mr. James Dahl

FROM WELLINGTON COLLEGE, BERKSHIRE

In this episode of Education Corner Podcast, Mr. James Dahl spoke to us about the work being done at Wellington College to promote and support social mobility, the possibility of VAT being introduced to school fees and the potential impact of this on social mobility and student support across the education sector.

With a 20% VAT on school fees set to be introduced from January 2025, many schools and parents across the independent sector are concerned about how this will affect both individuals and the sector as a whole. James Dahl, Master at Wellington College, has dedicated much of his time in post to broadening access to education and social responsibility programmes, which he hopes to be able to continue, despite the challenges facing the sector.

will need to leave the sector, but also the possibility that fewer will join in coming years and James added: “Very sadly, I think the lag impact is going to be that fewer will come into our sector and that will mean school closures.”

A survey by Saltus suggests that up to 140,000 pupils might leave the independent sector if VAT is imposed, whilst the ISC estimates that up to 10,000 may have already left or not re-entered the independent sector this year, posing a risk that some schools may be unable to continue to operate. Unfortunately, some schools already seem to have been affected: “There’s probably a dozen or so independent schools that have closed in the last 6 to 9 months,” James told us. He also believes that it is “undoubtedly the case” that some schools will be unable to continue if VAT is introduced, especially: “the smaller schools that perhaps cater for more niche demands like SEND or faith-based schools or more rural schools.” It is not only the students who

This will also impact the state sector, with Julie Robinson, Head of the ISC, stating that she fears that: “VAT on fees could cause damage to the state system.” Whilst some estimates suggest that the VAT could raise £1.5 billion to go towards raising state school standards, other organisations, such as the Adam Smith Institute, have suggested that there could actually be an overall cost of closer to £1.8 billion for the sector. Whilst James “totally agrees with” the “aspiration of having more resources available for the state sector to be able to recruit more teachers and to support mental health provision,” he expressed concern that the money saved will not have the desired transformational effect on state education. “There are 23,000 state schools in the country, so 6,500 new teachers equates to one new teacher for every 4 state schools. So, this idea that this policy is somehow going to be able to transform and uplift the resourcing and the funding within the state sector is just not true.”

James also noted how, in many areas of the country, the state school system does not have the capacity to take on extra students, especially those with additional needs such as SEND and EHCPs: “That is already an issue for the state sector and if there is a significant influx of children who need significant input, resources and support, it just isn’t there within the state sector.”

How will VAT affect parents?

Wellington College is a school founded on charitable principles, and when we last spoke to James in 2021 he told us: “Schools like Wellington shouldn’t be an ivory tower keeping the world out, but should be a bastion of excellence, sharing resources, a generous partner that gives to the outside world.” Since then, he has continued to support and promote the generous spirit of the school. One way Wellington College does this is through their social transformational Prince Albert Foundation, which was “designed to enable children of potential but from backgrounds of low income or disadvantage to enjoy the stability of a boarding education here at Wellington.” When James became Master in 2019, he set the goal of 40 Prince Albert Scholars at the college by September 2025, which they have already reached a year early.

James told us of his hopes: “The impact of that for these young people [...] is to allow them to fulfil their potential, to drive ambition, to ensure that their lives end up going on a track that is very, very different from the one which potentially it could have been.” Two of the current Prince Albert Scholars have come from the care system, and the cost of their education is now taken up by Wellington College rather than the state. On speaking to one of these scholars recently, James observed: “The thing that has changed the most in him is this sense of ambition that he can achieve anything and that he can go and get anything in life now and I hope that that will stay with him for the rest of his life.”

Wellington College is also partnered with 63 local state schools, providing teacher training, collaboration and student support: “We hope that the impact of that will raise standards across the entire education sector by generously sharing all of those opportunities.” These charitable and socially transformative initiatives are amongst the things of which James is most proud throughout his time as Master so far.

Some people are concerned that these bursaries and support schemes will be some of the first things to be cut if VAT is introduced. Across the sector, schools are making a conscious effort to diversify their revenue streams so that they are able to continue to operate and continue widening access to education. At Wellington College, they let their facilities during the holidays and have a large family of international schools to support one another: “Quite simply, we devote all of the money that we make from these commercial ventures into our social responsibility and public benefit work,” James told us. Whilst many schools currently fund their bursary and support schemes through fees, James predicts this will become increasingly challenging: “I do fear and I understand that many schools will start cutting back on those bursaries and public outreach and social responsibility work, but I would implore them to try and be creative and find ways not to roll