Tristram Hunt tells private schools to bring down “Berlin Wall” with state sector – or lose £700 million in tax breaks

Labour will announce plans to ‘recast’ the relationship between state and private schools, it has been announced. In a speech at Walthamstow Academy (part of the state and private school partnership United Learning), Shadow Education Secretary Tristram Hunt will set out a plan to tackle the ‘corrosive divide’ in education by making around £700 million currently received by private schools in business rates relief conditional on them meeting minimum standards of partnership with the state sector.

At present, many private schools receive this subsidy despite providing minimal benefits to their local communities (such as allowing annual use of sports facilities or entrance into their gardens). The plan which Hunt will announce sets clear standards which private schools must meet in order to continue receiving business rate relief – which for some schools is worth half a million pounds each year. The new ‘Schools Partnership Standard’ which will require them to:

• Provide qualified teachers in specialist subjects to state schools.
• Share expertise to help state school students get into top universities.
• Run joint extra-curricular programmes where the state schools is an equal partner so children can mix and sectors learn from each other.

Labour’s proposal to bring down what Hunt calls the “Berlin Wall” in the British education system follows efforts by the last Labour government to examine the charitable status of private schools. That was held up in the courts, leading to Hunt’s new attempted carrot and stick for the sector. Hunt – himself privately educated – is expected to say the following:

“I realise that to some this may seem an unnecessarily tough test. But that is not because I want to penalise private education but because I want to make sure we break down the barriers holding Britain back.”

“I passionately believe we deserve an education system where the majority of young people enjoy the same access to excellence as the privileged 7 per cent; where disadvantaged pupils no longer feel any anxiety or insecurity at aspiring towards success because they feel success belongs to them; and where our children experience equality of opportunity rather than just learn it is one of our core values; 

“But most of all I want us to become a country where we no longer feel the need to point out how few state educated members there are in the top universities, professions and sports teams because that description simply no longer rings true. 

“That is the prize we are chasing with this new partnership. And believe me: clawing back business rate relief will be a poor consolation if we do not bring it about.”

The Shadow Education Secretary has also written for the Guardian outlining his plans – you can read that piece here.