A private school in Stroud, Gloucestershire, has announced it is freezing fees for pupils, despite the impact of the Government’s decision to impose VAT on independent schools.

Wycliffe College in Stonehouse is also introducing a 5% discount for siblings of existing pupils and reducing the termly fee and boarding fee for Year 6 pupils as it looks to help parents in the wake of the Government’s controversial decision.

Headmaster,, Christian San José, said the school was in a good position to weather the financial increases brought about by the VAT rise, coupled with increases in business rates and National Insurance contributions, which have left many independent schools struggling.

He said: “It is no doubt a challenging time for the independent school sector, but at Wycliffe College we have much to celebrate and to be proud of.

“Along with strong academic and sporting success, we have a clear plan ahead for the future to show how we continually evolve in this changing landscape.”

He said he was working with the council of trustees and college leadership team to scrutinise every element of the college’s operations and structures so they could run as efficiently as possible without affecting the quality of educational provision.

He added: “Most schools will, understandably, have to look to make efficiencies, as are we, but we will continue to act responsibly in order to safeguard the stability we have worked hard to achieve as we remain committed to providing an outstanding education from nursery to sixth form.”

Wycliffe is also launching a new programme of 11+ scholarships. These will cover academic excellence, art, and drama.

And a wider review of the school’s scholarship programme is taking place this summer.