In a survey conducted by the National Education Union, one in five independent schoolteachers said they have seen redundancies at their school due to the VAT on fees policy.

Responding to the poll, 26% of teachers said their school had frozen recruitment, and 30% said inflation-related pay rises had been affected. The survey also found that almost a third said the cost of living had forced them to take on extra paid work.

Julie Robinson, chief executive of the Independent Schools Council said the findings of the poll demonstrate that Labour’s tax on independent school fees is negatively affecting staff.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Robinson said: “School leaders and governors will always do everything they can to invest in teachers and staff, which are the most valuable resource any school has.

“However, as this poll shows, the government’s choice to tax education is already having an impact on jobs and opportunities in independent schools.

“Many of these people – losing jobs they love in a community they feel part of – will choose to exit teaching entirely, and this exodus of passion, expertise and skill will be felt across education.

“We trust the unions will continue to engage with the government on the negative and entirely avoidable impact this tax on education is having on their members, our schools and everybody’s children.”