Squeamish? Try a thousand cuts

The charity laws have been politically loaded. It is no longer sufficient for a private school in receipt of charity to be non-profit making or to confer benefit on the community near of far. It has to subscribe to the redistributive definition of poverty of the present government. In a word, they have to be inclusive.

Now comes death by bureaucracy, which is also going some way towards killing schools in the public sector. Here the application of health and safety legislation is punishing the schools by adding considerably to their costs and trying to destroy their very ethos. Compliance is necessary in every detail, in order to avoid being reported to the Star Camber (Department for Children, etc.,) which has the power to de-register the school, effectively closing it down.

They have to comply on the number of toilets, the wording of school policies, bullying policy (ordinary and sexual), height of door handles, height of school walls, etc, among many others.

They are inspected by the ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate) for Ofsted and by the Independent Safeguarding Authority. There are cases where demands from one overseeing body conflict with those of another. Excessive time is required to comply with multiple pages of requirements, and with the regular visits.

It could be the end of some schools. The costs imposed may make the fees uneconomic, and uncompetitive if raised.

There is much that is ludicrous. These schools publish extensive brochures and conduct potential scholars and parents round the buildings. Parents who are going to have to pay as much as £30,000 a year will not put up with second rate, and are very careful in analysing the suitability of the school.

The impositions seem largely from antagonism and vindictiveness.