Scottish schools face fees test

Finance | 22 Jan 2008

An amendment to the Charities Bill in Scotland has re-sparked the heated debate on the future of independent schools north of the border. The amendment gives further responsibilities to the Scottish charities regulator, OSCR, beyond those of establishing a public benefit test. It is proposed that OSCR will now also be required to assess whether 'any charge or fee' made by the schools is 'unduly restrictive'.

This latest development has been met by scarcely veiled outrage from several leading head teachers at Scotland's pre-eminent fee-charging schools. Andrew Hunter, head teacher at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh, described it as 'not good news'. Mark Pyper, headmaster of Gourdonstoun School, branded the amendment as unworkable: 'I can't see, once you say fees will be taken into account, how on earth you can differentiate between one school that's charging fees and another. I believe this is a red herring.' Fiona Valpy of the Scottish Council of Independent schools (SCIS), issued a more measured response to the amendment, questioning the validity of the extra 'test' given that 'school fees are at the level they're at because that's what it costs to educate a child.'

Deputy communities minister, Johann Lamont has denied suggestions that MSPs are enacting a political vendetta but did say that there would be some schools that would 'be out' ie. would be expected to fail the public benefit test and be stripped of their charitable status. Labour MSP John Home Robertson, who proposed the amendment, commented: 'It would be a travesty if the provision of a benefit that is primarily for people who are well-off were to be endorsed as charitable under this legislation.'

Directory: Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR)

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