• Support Wokingham Today
  • Get the print edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
Wokingham.Today
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • All
    • Arborfield
    • Barkham
    • Beech Hill
    • Binfield
    • Bracknell
    • Charvil
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
    • Emmbrook
    • Finchampstead
    • Grazeley
    • Henley
    • Hurst
    • Lower Earley
    • Norreys
    • Reading
    • Remenham
    • Riseley
    • Shinfield
    • Sindlesham
    • Sonning
    • Spencers Wood
    • Swallowfield
    • Three Mile Cross
    • Twyford
    • Wargrave
    • Winnersh
    • Wokingham
    • Wokingham Without
    • Woodley
    • Woosehill
    • Yateley
    Wokingham Borough Council is offering residents an opportunity to make a positive impact on the environment through their choice of energy tariff. Picture: WBC

    Naturally Speaking: How to cut your carbon footprint

    You can share your thoughts until March 20.

    Help to make bus travel work better

    Woky Comedy Nights: a fun night out for a good cause. Picture courtesy of Wokingham Lions Club

    #Woky Comedy Nights: get the laughs in

    Joint proposals between Reading Borough Council and Wokingham Borough Council would involve a shake-up of public transport routing between the towns. Picture: Reading Borough Council

    Have your say on proposed shake-up of travel between Reading and Wokingham

    Its project to install a new piece of community art in Shinfield was launched last August. Picture courtesy of Shinfield Parish Council

    Residents consulted on Shinfield’s exciting public art project

    There?s still time to sign up for the Three Counties Cycle Ride, on Sunday, June 8. Pictures: 3CCR

    Early birds saddle up! 50+ riders sign up early for Three Counties cycle ride and kickstart charity donations

    People Planet Pint meets monthly to socialise and discuss sustainability with like-minded people, at Wokingham's Rose Inn. Picture: Emma Merchant

    Discuss the environment over a pint in Wokingham

    Woodley Repair Cafe operates on the first Sunday of the month, at Christ Church, Crockhamwell Road, between 2pm and 4pm. Picture: Emma Merchant

    Get things fixed in Woodley

    Ian Stewart writes this week's Church Notes. Picture: Ian Stewart

    Church Notes: Wars and rumours of wars

  • CRIME
  • SPORT
    • All
    • Binfield FC
    • Reading FC
    Rob Couhig and Todd Trosclair

    Reading FC co-owners to face fans in live Q&A ahead of Bradford City clash

    IN PICTURES: The best shots from the 2026 David Cliff Wokingham Half Marathon

    The David Cliff Wokingham Half Marathon 2026: Stunning finishes and top times – view the results

    From homeless to hero: How Reading FC’s former star Amadou Mbengue found football and success

    Bobby Trundley Picture: Peter Markwick

    Wokingham racing driver prepares for a season of GT4 racing with Team BRIT

    Reading FC

    Reading FC launches upgraded ticketing system to improve fan experience

    Leam Richardson Picture: Luke Adams

    ‘He’s full of excuses’: Reading FC fans react to ‘baffling’ comments from manager Leam Richardson

    Leam Richardson

    ‘Awful performance, two points thrown away’: Reading FC concede in stoppage time against rock bottom Port Vale

    Dave Kitson Picture: Luke Adams

    Anonymous no more: Reading FC legend confesses to secret footballer identity

  • READING FC
  • COMMUNITY
    Wokingham Borough Council is offering residents an opportunity to make a positive impact on the environment through their choice of energy tariff. Picture: WBC

    Naturally Speaking: How to cut your carbon footprint

    You can share your thoughts until March 20.

    Help to make bus travel work better

    Woky Comedy Nights: a fun night out for a good cause. Picture courtesy of Wokingham Lions Club

    #Woky Comedy Nights: get the laughs in

    Its project to install a new piece of community art in Shinfield was launched last August. Picture courtesy of Shinfield Parish Council

    Residents consulted on Shinfield’s exciting public art project

    There?s still time to sign up for the Three Counties Cycle Ride, on Sunday, June 8. Pictures: 3CCR

    Early birds saddle up! 50+ riders sign up early for Three Counties cycle ride and kickstart charity donations

    People Planet Pint meets monthly to socialise and discuss sustainability with like-minded people, at Wokingham's Rose Inn. Picture: Emma Merchant

    Discuss the environment over a pint in Wokingham

    Woodley Repair Cafe operates on the first Sunday of the month, at Christ Church, Crockhamwell Road, between 2pm and 4pm. Picture: Emma Merchant

    Get things fixed in Woodley

    Ian Stewart writes this week's Church Notes. Picture: Ian Stewart

    Church Notes: Wars and rumours of wars

    Wokingham Choral Society?s concert, English Masters, can be heard at All Saints Church, Wokingham, on Saturday, November 16. PIcture WCS

    Enjoy music of romantic myths and legends in Wokingham

  • LIFESTYLE
    • All
    • Food
    • Health
    • Obituaries
    • People
    Wokingham Borough Council is offering residents an opportunity to make a positive impact on the environment through their choice of energy tariff. Picture: WBC

    Naturally Speaking: How to cut your carbon footprint

    Woodley Repair Cafe operates on the first Sunday of the month, at Christ Church, Crockhamwell Road, between 2pm and 4pm. Picture: Emma Merchant

    Get things fixed in Woodley

    Tesco Wokingham offers free blood pressure tests at its pharmacy throughout the year. Picture: Daniel Lynch / Parsons Media

    Wokingham shoppers can get free blood pressure check

    Bracknell

    Homeless Bracknell woman allegedly denied safe accommodation despite safety concerns

    Paige Whiles and Dr Roy Bailey

    19-year-old waitress turns sad Valentine’s Day around for senior councillor – internet hails her kindness

    The Heritage, a design for a mobile home that could be added to the High Pines park home site north of Bracknell. Credit: ASP

    Elderly neighbours lose electricity and heating at park homes site

    Wokingham mosque

    Petition storm over Wokingham Mosque based on ‘false information,’ says Council Leader

    Irene Muggeridge celebrated her 107th birthday. 'I feel young,' she said. Picture: Derek Pelling

    ‘You’re only as young as you feel’: 107-year-old from Berkshire shares secret to life

    Wokingham

    Residents react on social media as Wokingham named as one of UK’s ‘happiest’ retirement spots

  • WHAT’S ON
    • All
    • Arts
    • Entertainment

    The David Cliff Wokingham Half Marathon 2026: Stunning finishes and top times – view the results

    Enjoy stories and selfies with Peter Rabbit at Broad Street Mall on Saturday, March 7. Picture: Broad Street Mall

    Meet Peter Rabbit at Reading’s Broad Street Mall

    Twyford Drama cast and crew are looking forward to revealing Traitor at The Beeches, written by Kathy Reid. Picture: Twyford Drama

    Search is on for traitor at Twyford Drama

    Cash on Delivery Pictures: Joy Evans

    REVIEW: Mayhem, missteps and mistaken identity for The Mill at Sonning’s new farce, ‘Cash on Delivery’

    Reading Haydn Choir will perform their spring concert on March 14. Picture: Reading Haydn Choir

    Reading Haydn Choir will make beautiful music at St Joseph’s

    Belle Dame Picture:: Andrew Merritt

    RaW Sounds Today: Belle Dame, Catfish, When Rivers Meet, The Dazed Minded

    Henley Festival 2026

    Henley Festival 2026 announces star-studded line-up

    Jackie Mouradian, local author, will be meeting members of the public at Quench bookshop, Holme Grange Craft Village. Picture: Emma Merchant

    Meet a local author at Quench

    Sonic Whip Picture: Andrew Merritt

    Raw Sounds Today: Sonic Whip, doops, Myles Addison

  • BUSINESS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT
No Result
View All Result
Wokingham.Today
No Result
View All Result
Home Uncategorised

VOTE 2024: Education secretary condemn’s Labour proposal to add VAT to private school fees

by James Aldridge Local Democracy Reporter
June 25, 2024
in Uncategorised
Education secretary Gillian Keegan with Earley and Woodley candidate Pauline Jorgensen Picture: Local Democracy Reporting Service

Education secretary Gillian Keegan with Earley and Woodley candidate Pauline Jorgensen Picture: Local Democracy Reporting Service

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

‘Horrible and pernicious’ is how Labour’s plans to tax private school fees have been described by the education secretary on a visit to Shinfield and Wokingham.

Conservative minister Gillian Keegan was visiting Pauline Jorgensen, the party’s candidate for Earley and Woodley, and Wokingham newcomer Lucy Demery and discussed the issue of adding VAT to the education bills.

Mrs Jorgensen said: “The parents are not all well-heeled, they want the best education for their children.

“There is a lot of private schooling in this area, and if private schools have to close or people can’t afford to use them, there is no space in the public sector.

Mrs Keegan backed up this view, saying: “I think it’s a pernicious policy, I also think it’s very ill thought through.”

One parent claimed she would have to pay £10,000 more per year to keep sending her three children to private school.

Related posts

Naturally Speaking: How to cut your carbon footprint

Help to make bus travel work better

The Labour Party says adding VAT to private school fees would raise £1.5 billion, which would be used to train 6,500 more teachers.

Mrs Keegan said: “The reason ostensibly to do it is to get more teachers to solve the problem we have recruiting maths teachers.

“We have 27,000 more teachers than we had in 2010, and in the last two years 3,000 more teachers, so we don’t need to do this to get more teachers.

“For maths teachers, we’ve put £6,000 in an additional payment on top of the £30,000 minimum starting salary which we put in place last September.

“All of that will start to work through and have an impact.”

Full Fact, a fact checking website, says that while it is true the number of full-time teachers has gone up, so have pupil numbers, so there are now fewer teachers relative to the number of pupils than in 2010.

Teachers in Reading went on strike last year over pay and conditions. The dispute ended in August, when the government agreed to award a pay rise of 6.5%.

Mrs Keegan said: “When I first got the job as education secretary, the very first thing I had was a letter from all the unions saying ‘We need £2 billion’ to keep up with the previous year’s higher-than-expected pay rise for teachers, and also inflationary pressures.

“I got that £2 billion, which was not inconsequential, but I got that and we put more money into schools.”

However, Yuan Yang, Labour’s candidate for Earley and Woodley, said it was ending a tax loophole.

“I want to clarify that this is a tax on private schools as businesses, not on parents,” she said. “It’s down to each school’s management team to decide whether and how much they raise fees.

“Over the past decade, private schools on average have raised their fees by 20% more than inflation has gone up, creating high profits.

“Most schools will have the option of absorbing the VAT increase and not passing it on to parents, if their management decides to do so.”

People present at the campaign stop also raised concerns about road safety for private school pupils going to and from Crossfields School in Shinfield.

Mrs Jorgensen is also leader of the opposition on Wokingham Borough Council. In March, she took part in a debate on whether a pedestrian crossing should be installed outside the school.

Cllr Jorgensen proposed a motion at a borough council meeting to deliver a crossing ‘without delay’ in the road. This was amended to state that a crossing would be delivered only if a technical assessment met criteria for a crossing and when funding became available to make access to the school safer.

Mrs Keegan is the Conservative candidate for Chichester.

Keep up to date by signing up for our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people who have requested it.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Previous Post

More support for Wokingham politician

Next Post

New hotel opens in Shinfield – but this is why you can’t stay in it

FOLLOW US

POPULAR THIS WEEK

Leam Richardson Picture: Luke Adams

‘He’s full of excuses’: Reading FC fans react to ‘baffling’ comments from manager Leam Richardson

February 21, 2026
Wokingham Borough Council

REVEALED: How much Wokingham Borough Council spent on temps in just six months

February 18, 2026
M4 motorway

Rush-hour nightmare as burning car shuts lanes on busy M4

February 20, 2026
Reading Borough Council has warned that half of the town's postal voters are at risk of losing the chance to vote by post. Picture: Reading Borough Council

Shinfield parish election details revealed

February 20, 2026
Leam Richardson

‘Awful performance, two points thrown away’: Reading FC concede in stoppage time against rock bottom Port Vale

February 21, 2026
Cash on Delivery Pictures: Joy Evans

REVIEW: Mayhem, missteps and mistaken identity for The Mill at Sonning’s new farce, ‘Cash on Delivery’

February 22, 2026

ABOUT US

Wokingham Today is dedicated to providing news online across the whole of the Borough of Wokingham. It is a Social Enterprise, existing to support the various communities in Wokingham Borough.

Wokingham.Today is a Social Enterprise and aims to ensure that everyone within the Borough has free access to independent and up-to-date news. However, providing this service is not without costs. If you are able to, please make a contribution to support our work.

CONTACT US

news@wokinghampaper.co.uk

Keep up to date with our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people that have subscribed

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

  • Support Us
  • Book Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Get the Print Edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter

The Wokingham Paper Ltd publications are regulated by IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation.
If you have a complaint about a  The Wokingham Paper Ltd  publication in print or online, you should, in the first instance, contact the publication concerned, email: editor@wokingham.today, or telephone: 0118 327 2662. If it is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should contact IPSO by telephone: 0300 123 2220, or visit its website: www.ipso.co.uk. Members of the public are welcome to contact IPSO at any time if they are not sure how to proceed, or need advice on how to frame a complaint.

No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • Arborfield
    • Barkham
    • Beech Hill
    • Binfield
    • Bracknell
    • Charvil
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
    • Emmbrook
    • Finchampstead
    • Grazeley
    • Henley
    • Hurst
    • Lower Earley
    • Norreys
    • Reading
    • Remenham
  • CRIME
  • COMMUNITY
  • LIFESTYLE
  • SPORT
  • READING FC
  • OBITUARIES
  • WHAT’S ON
  • BUSINESS
  • PHOTOS
  • ADVERTISE WITH US
  • CONTACT US
  • WHERE TO GET THE PRINT EDITION
  • SUPPORT US

© 2022 - The Wokingham Paper Ltd - All Right Reserved.