The Court of Appeal has granted a coalition of Christian independent schools the right to challenge the government’s VAT on fees policy.

Headteachers and families from independent Christian schools across the UK are bringing the challenge, including Emmanuel School in Derby and The King’s School in Fair Oak, Hampshire.

The right to challenge comes after the schools’ claim was dismissed by the High Court in June. Granting the appeal on all eight grounds, Lord Justice Lewis deemed it to have “compelling public interest”.

Michael Phillips, a consultant for the Christian Legal Centre, told Premier Christian News the “freedom” to send a child to an independent faith school should be as integral as the right to worship, describing the VAT policy as akin to “paying a tax to go to church”.

The challenge is separate to that which was backed by the ISC earlier this year.