Adcote School is a leading 6 to18 day, boarding and international school in the heart of the Shropshire countryside. We are known for our non-selective status, nurturing nature, amazing staff and students and fantastic GCSE and A-level results…but we are small. We have 220 girls on roll and 30 per cent of our students are international. We are ranked 12th in the Top School Guide, for Top Boarding Schools for Girls. We might be small, but we are mighty.
At Adcote, we believe in putting our children and families first and we are dedicated to supporting our community. We have recently announced that for our new students joining us in September 2024 and paying our headline fees, we would absorb the possible VAT levy for a fixed period of three years and promise not to raise our fees in this time.
A story in The Telegraph highlighted our billboard announcing the move yesterday, and reported some criticism against it.
I need to be clear though, we do not have excess cash, nor have we been overcharging our current parents. We need to do this so that we secure our future. We are doing this to ensure that firstly, we remain open and secondly so we can offer the same excellent service that we are renowned for.
“We do not have excess cash, nor have we been overcharging our current parents.”
Back in October 2023, we held an Open Day which was attended by 47 families – we were thrilled with the turnout. All families were keen to sign up, but the question of VAT was on everyone’s minds. Parents openly expressed that they could not afford an extra 20 per cent to be added to their daughter’s tuition fees.
As a result, parents are waiting. They are waiting to see what Labour will do and how this will impact on their own finances. A stance had to be taken. We instil in our girls the confidence to go big and go bold. So we made a decision. The decision was to not pass on the VAT to parents and to make sure that this message was received loud and clear, hence placing the VAT, what VAT? message on the billboard.
“We need to do this so that we secure our future.”
In a time where many schools are considering fee increases (95 per cent of Independent Schools according to one recent survey), we are proud to take a different approach by investing in our school and our students.
I would rather us shoulder the 20 per cent VAT, than lose 100 per cent of potential business. I appreciate this is not an option for all Independent Schools; we were very much aware that the alternative could be catastrophic for us, with a significant loss. By shouldering the VAT for new students, we are demonstrating our commitment to providing a world-class education while alleviating the financial worries of our families.
“I would rather us shoulder the 20 per cent VAT than lose 100 per cent of potential business.”
Our families make sacrifices so their daughters can attend Adcote, they give up family holidays, drive “normal” cars and work two jobs – we can play a small part in easing the financial worries. We want to reassure our families that their daughters will continue to receive the same excellent service that they have come to expect from us and is testament in our A-level and GCSE results. Schools need to look at ways to support families further and we will continue to offer bursaries and scholarships to support those in need.
At Adcote School, we are not just a school – we are a community. We believe that our students deserve the very best and we are determined to ensure that they receive it. Our next Open Day is Monday 6th May (Bank Holiday), see for yourself how Adcote can shape your daughter’s future!