Parents at a private Scottish school which was deemed fit for royalty will pay up to £8,300 a year more for their children’s education in response to the government’s decision to end the VAT tax exemption for private schools.
When King Charles first attended Gordonstoun School on the recommendation of his father Prince Philip in May 1962, he made history in being the first Prince of Wales to be educated at school rather than by private tutors.
The Labour Party‘s decision to impose VAT on private school fees at a rate of 20 per cent means parents who would like their children to experience a similar education to royalty will now have to pay higher fees.
The current term fee of £17,705 has been cut by the school, reducing the price by £638.
However the 20 per cent VAT imposed by Labour means that the fees will still cost around 16 per cent more to parents.
For senior boarders who join the school in years 12 and 13, the annual fee will rise by 15.67 per cent to £61,440, an increase of £9,216 in a year.
The school is based in Moray and was founded in 1934.
A Gordonstoun spokesman said that the school had been successful in exploring new revenue streams to avoid passing on the full VAT charge to parents, but this had not prevented a necessary rise.
The increase will range from zero to 15.67 per cent, depending on the year group, but the school has made available further funds to assist families who have ‘existing bursary provision’ and can ‘no longer afford their child’s place at Gordonstoun’.
Queen Elizabeth II visiting Gordonstoun during Prince Charles’ final year in 1967
Prince Charles (now King Charles III), with his father the Duke of Edinburgh (left) and Captain Iain Tennant, Chairman of the Gordonstoun Board of Governors, arriving at Gordonstoun for the Prince’s first day in 1962
The monarch has accepted a prestigious patronage at Gordonstoun School to mark the first anniversary of his coronation
The school said: ‘We are committed to ensuring the standard of our world-leading education and pastoral care remains affordable and accessible to as wide a range of children as possible.
‘Gordonstoun is required to pay 20 per cent VAT on school fees from January 2025, but through exploration of new revenue streams, international expansion and robust cost control, we are able to reduce our fees, before tax, to provide some relief for our families.
‘Overall increases including VAT, depending on Year group, will range from 0 to 15.67%.
‘Further funds have also been made available to our existing bursary provision to assist our current families who can no longer afford their child’s place at Gordonstoun.’
As part of efforts to help Gordonstoun with the financial toll, Graham Hadley, who attended the school at the same time as Charles, offered to help raise funds as he holds the registered trademark in the name of Mary, Queen of Scots.
This trademark applies to eight separate commercial classes including cashmere, ceramics, confectionery, beer, jam, leather goods and whisky.
Hadley was prepared to transfer the trademark in confectionery, which is mainly for shortbread and fudge, to the school.
Generations of British royalty were educated at Gordonstoun, including the late Prince Philip and his son King Charles, who famously allegedly referred to it as ‘Colditz in kilts’, but has later in life praised the education he received there.
Rock musician David Bowie sent his son Duncan Jones to Gordonstoun, and Jason Connery, son of actor Sir Sean Connery, also attended.
The accession of King Charles III made Gordonstoun the first senior school to educate a British monarch.
In 2022, it was 60 years since a 13-year-old Charles began school at Gordonstoun.
The then Prince Charles spent five years boarding at Gordonstoun, where his father was among its first pupils.
Charles’s brothers Prince Andrew and Prince Edward also went to Gordonstoun.
Princess Anne was not eligible as it was at that time an all-boys school, but she sent her children Peter Philips and Zara Tindall to the school.
