A primary school in Nottingham, Iona School, faces potential closure due to the government’s plan to remove the VAT exemption on private school fees, which will increase fees by 20%. The head teacher, Rob Strafford, warned that the school’s future is uncertain if the fee hike leads to a significant drop in student numbers. Iona School, which follows the Steiner Waldorf curriculum and charges about £8,000 per year, may not be able to absorb the additional costs. Parents have already begun withdrawing their children, and the school, celebrating its 40th anniversary next year, struggles with financial constraints and low fee flexibility.
