As the summer holidays swiftly draw to a close, many families will soon be preparing to send their children back to school for the start of a new school year, some for the very first time! Education remains the cornerstone of our society, doing so much to shape the future of our children and setting them on the best possible path. I am proud of the many excellent schools we have across our area, and it is vital that we continue to support them wholeheartedly.
The last academic year brought welcome recognition for our local schools. The Kings School in Grantham was named State Secondary School of the Year for Academic Excellence in the East Midlands by the 2025 Sunday Times Parent Power Guide. Likewise, Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School was ranked 4th in the region for academic success, a testament to the dedication of students and staff alike.
However, challenges remain. Recent changes to VAT on private schools are placing severe financial strain on many institutions and parents alike, leading to children being forced to change schools. While this might seem a private matter, it is having wider consequences for our state education system. With more families unable to afford private fees, pressure is mounting on state schools across the country.
These strains extend beyond the classroom. A local mother’s story highlights this clearly - her daughter now travels an hour each way to reach her nearest state school after being priced out of private education. This has led to Lincolnshire County Council bearing the cost of £8,000 annually for taxi transportation, a burden ultimately paid by taxpayers.
This impact is felt deeply across our community. Dudley House School, which has provided faith-based education for decades, sadly closed at the end of the academic year. Financial pressures - from VAT on fees, removal of business rates relief, rising National Insurance, to increased minimum wages - made its continued operation impossible. I know from the correspondence I have received that this is a loss felt by many who have cherished the school’s service over sixty years.
Meanwhile, decisions by the current Government continue to raise concerns for state education directly too. As I have mentioned before, their moves to reduce the autonomy of academies through tighter rules on curriculum, teacher qualifications, and pay - stifles innovation, reduces parental choice, and increases bureaucracy in extremely successful local academies.
The success of our local schools and their students has been celebrated so clearly in recent weeks. Yesterday, Year 11 pupils across our corner of Lincolnshire received their GCSE grades and last week, those in Year 13 across local Sixth Forms and Colleges secured their A-Level, Technical and Vocational results. I wish all these pupils well in whatever might come next.
Education and our children's futures are too important to be altered for ideological reasons and put at risk. As we look ahead to a new term, it is my hope that we can protect our schools so they continue to provide the best opportunities for every child in our community.
