Labour’s flagship measure to add VAT to private school fees – leading to a 20% hike in fees for parents, pressuring aspirational families – has been repeatedly defended by Keir Starmer on the campaign. Guido revealed evidence that Labour’s hatred of independent schools runs deep…
Now newly uncovered minutes from governors’ meetings at Eleanor Palmer Primary School – which was attended by both of Starmer’s children – reveal that Lady Victoria Starmer lobbied hard against proposals to encourage affluent parents in the catchment area to make voluntary donations to help fund additional opportunities such as music, art and sport. ‘Lady Vic’ was a governor at Eleanor Palmer from 2015 to 2019 – and as with all schools, the minutes are public. In 2013 the school – one of the ‘best’ state primaries in the country – received media coverage for its tiny catchment area – just 167 metres, or the same length as Roman Abramovich’s yacht…
In January 2019, the school’s headteacher told the quarterly meeting of governors that the school was facing a funding deficit for the year ahead. Suggestions from some at the meeting that more affluent parents be asked to make voluntary donations were shot down by Victoria Starmer:
‘Governors questioned whether it was now time to look at asking for covenants from parents. There were a number of affluent parents in every year group, some of whom had expressed a willingness to give money to the school. Flora Cornish and Vicky Starmer said that they had concerns around inclusivity and requests for donations and covenants. Flora Cornish expressed unease about any ideas of entitlement that may sit alongside covenants.’
‘Lady Vic’ went further:
‘Vicky Starmer asked Governors to consider the feelings of families unable to donate money… Vicky Starmer said that some parents think that the school has a lot of money given the demographic and the apparent good resourcing. Vicky Starmer asked whether the school could work with other local schools regarding the funding crisis. The Head said that head teachers talk together about funding regularly. As Camden had historically been so well funded, the shift in funding was now marked, but most schools were working independently on fundraising…Vicky Starmer stressed that it should be clear that the funds were not for topping up the state budget for core curriculum and services. The Chair said that the school could not set a budget that did that.’
Is Jezza finally coming round on the most successful education policy in years? Earlier this week he attended the opening of a new free school in North London, lavishing the City of London Academy Highgate Hill with praise for its focus on arts and music. Highgate Hill is the fourth free school to be opened by the City of London Academy Trust. A welcome shift from Labour now free schools are out-performing all other types of school with 5-7-year-olds and 16-18-year-olds and are joint best on progress between 11 and 16. Back in 2015 Jez was going round implying he wanted to abolish them. He likes free schools when they’re helping kids in his back yard…
Labour’s manifesto pledges to scrap the free schools programme, committing to not “waste money on inefficient free schools”. Not much of a surprise, though it is not ideal for the Labour candidate in Bexhill and Battle. Christine Bayliss is a former DfE mandarin who now runs a consultancy advising on setting up new free schools. Her company CBECS helps new academies and free schools set up:
“Whether you need to provide evidence of stakeholder engagement for your free school application, community support to enable a funding agreement to be signed or parent and stakeholder support for your academy plans, C:BECS can help. We will develop a tailored solution that not only meets your needs but your budget too.”
Almost as if Christine knows her company is safe…
