The news that Kilgraston School in Perthshire is to close attracted a strong response from Courier readers.
Earlier this week, we revealed that the fee-paying private boarding school was to shut just a year after being saved.
In a letter to parents, Kilgraston School blamed changes to VAT exemptions for private schools and an £860,000 financial black hole for the closure.
School bosses also indicated that the current register of 173 pupils fell short of the 210 required to break even.
Readers took to The Courier and Evening Telegraph’s social media pages to express their views.
‘Charging VAT will have a catastrophic effect on private schools’
The school’s immediate closure on Tuesday attracted hundreds of comments on our Facebook page.
And many showed little sympathy over the blaming by school bosses of new VAT legislation for the demise.
Taking to Facebook, Brian Clark wrote: “Yeah, VAT’s the reason, not the – checks notes – £860k blackhole a year since being saved?
“Someone’s not very good at fiscal management and shouldn’t be running a school, private or otherwise.”
While CB Hunter added: “Nothing to do with VAT most businesses survive paying it.
“Private schools should be that.
“No charitable status – no VAT exclusions.”
But others hit back saying the removal of the VAT exemption will have a “catastrophic effect” on private schools across the country.
Nicola Livingston wrote: “Charging VAT is going to have a catastrophic effect on private schools.
“Not the really rich ones that the elite attend, the average, independent ones that working people use.
“Kilgraston isn’t the first to be hit by this policy and won’t be the last.”
‘So many children’s education disrupted’
Writing on our Facebook page, Karen King added said: “It’s so very sad, so many children’s education disrupted, staff with no jobs and those who board too.
“Especially the week before schools return leaving it so hard for people to organise alternatives.”
Other readers were less sympathetic after the announcement, including Robert Sheridan who wrote: “If the parents are that intent on private education then they should pay for it.”
Cheryl Peebles, The Courier’s senior feature writer specialising in schools and family, said levying VAT on private schools could widen the gap between the “haves and the have-nots”.
Have you been affected by the closure of Kilgraston School?
If so, please contact The Courier’s live news team on livenews@thecourier.co.uk.
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