Westminster School charges full fees despite furloughing some staff

‘I don’t feel comfortable. I don’t think that they should be claiming government, taxpayers’ money’

A PUBLIC school is in a dispute with parents after it told them they would have to pay full day fees even though it intends to apply for government money to furlough its staff.

Westminster School wrote to parents last week informing them that they were expected to continue paying fees, which despite pupils the premises.

The not-for-profit school, which like other private institutions enjoys tax relief because of its charity status, also announced that it would be furloughing staff and using the Government’s job retention scheme to pay 80 per cent of their salaries.

Its most recent accounts, filed in 2018, show that it has total reserves of £138 million – £69 million of which is unrestricted and therefore available for general use.

In a letter sent to parents on April 2, the school said that money saved from its closure and furloughing staff would be applied towards a “hardship fund”. It added that, should its savings exceed the amount needed for the fund, then it would offer parents a rebate on summer term fees. However, after The Telegraph raised concerns from parents, the school promised it would also use money from its own reserves to fund fee rebates to parents. The school said parents would get a minimum of 15 per cent of day fees refunded.

One parent who asked to remain anonymous said: “I don’t feel comfortable. I don’t think that they should be claiming government, taxpayers’ money. They’re furloughing and then they’re also going to be claiming that money back while also charging fees that should in reality be covering it.”

Other fee-paying schools such as Eton and Uppingham have announced fee reductions.

In a statement, the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle MBE, chair of the school’s governing body said: “Any cost savings being made while the school is not open are being used to create a hardship fund for parents who have been financially impacted by Covid-19. Surplus from the cost savings underpinning this fund, alongside money from our reserve and other sources, will be used to give parents a retrospective rebate on their fees in due course. This will be set at a minimum of 15 per cent of day fees. This will represent a fee reduction of between 15-43 per cent.

“We have furloughed some support staff, but not teachers, as they are delivering a full online education programme.”