How to access independent education for your child, despite the VAT increase
The breadth of opportunity and quality of experience offered at an independent school is well-recognised. However, since the UK government introduced VAT on independent school fees in January 2025, an increasing number of families are concerned that they will never be able to access the education they aspire to for their child. Already, there are 11,000 fewer pupils at private schools in England this January compared to the same time last year. Currently, more than 175,000 Independent Schools Council (ISC) students benefit from some form of fee reduction. While bursarial support may be harder to come by than before due to growing demand, schools like mine will do all we can to continue to offer it.
At Stephen Perse Cambridge, approximately 40% of our students receive some form of bursary or scholarship support across the Senior School and Sixth Form. In 2024/25, over 375 students received some form of financial support across all age groups, including in-year hardship awards. Bursary, scholarship and other forms of financial aid are a valuable asset within our community, ensuring that we continue to raise aspirations and provide opportunities that young people may not otherwise have access to. Below are some of the ways in which we help parents to ensure that their children can access an independent school education.
Bursaries and the benefits
Bursaries are typically awarded based on financial circumstances to help students and their families with tuition fees. Bursaries can range in amount from 5-100% of fees and, in 2023/24, our median award was 80%. Our bursaries are generally awarded for one academic year and are subject to annual review and reassessment by an external provider. These are assessed based on household income and also any assets that can be reasonably released or borrowed against to fund a child’s education and take into consideration whether a family has additional costs to bear such as temporary unemployment or long-term ill health, and lifestyle. Parents and guardians are always welcome to speak with our Head of Finance, who can offer helpful guidance on what to expect during a bursary assessment, and what documentation such as tax returns, bank statements, proof of income and investment statements will be requested. A home visit may also be arranged to discuss financial circumstances as part of the application process.
As well as our general bursary programme, we also recognise that we have a role to play in responding to humanitarian crises. Through our bursary places for children and young people displaced by conflict, we are currently providing education and support to students displaced by the war in Ukraine. Since we have been offering our conflict bursaries, one of our Ukrainian students has gone on to study Maths at the University of Warwick while another was the top-performing UK female student in the British Informatics Olympiad (BIO) and the first ever UK female team member to win recognition (an honourable mention) in the International Olympiad in Informatics.
Bursaries versus scholarships
For children and young people who demonstrate exceptional ability and passion, either academically or in music, art, drama or sports, a scholarship is another option. At Stephen Perse Cambridge, our scholarship awards start at 5% and range up to 100% and a student can hold multiple scholarships or a combination of scholarship(s) and bursary, if they also meet the bursary criteria. Parents should consider when scholarships are awarded to help them plan for their child’s education. For instance, our Year 7 scholarships are awarded until the end of Year 8, while a Year 9 scholarship is usually awarded until the end of Year 11. In both cases, it is possible to apply for a further scholarship for the next period of schooling, which may be awarded depending upon academic progress and the funding available at that point.
An audition or assessment will take place to help assess your child’s eligibility for a scholarship, so completing the application sufficiently in advance can be helpful to ensure your child has plenty of time to prepare and feel confident in their performance on the day.
Other financial aid
Parents should also consider whether their preferred school has financial assistance for their specific circumstances, such as their geographical location, or their child’s current school. At Stephen Perse Cambridge, we have a partnership with North Cambridge Academy, a state school for children in Years 7 to 11. Since 2019, we have offered up to eight fully funded Sixth Form places every year to help students join us for A Levels. Alumni have then gone on to study at the universities of Bath, Leicester, Newcastle and Sheffield, amongst others, to read subjects such as Law and Politics and Biomedical Engineering.
While bursaries and scholarships are both important routes to overcoming the potential barriers to an independent school education, financial support, especially at Stephen Perse Cambridge, goes beyond fees support. It enriches all our students’ experiences while they are in school so that they can engage with the full breadth of experiences on offer. Parents can enquire about aid to fund the purchase of school uniforms, or to access instrument loans and lessons. While every school is unique, we are generously supported by our donors so that we can achieve our model of modern, inclusive education for academically able children and young people.
How to access financial support
Given the current discourse on VAT and independent school fees, there is a growing misconception that independent schools are inaccessible and getting further out of reach for most. Whether you are a parent who is facing a change in your financial circumstances or are considering whether you should apply for financial support, please speak early and candidly with your preferred school. If you are unsure whether you might qualify for any form of support, a school’s Finance Manager or Bursar is happy to discuss the process with a parent or guardian. After all, both parents and educators within the independent school sector want the same thing – to see children benefit from a rich educational experience so that they can achieve their full potential.