Education

Specialist advice for independent schools, education groups
and the wider education sector

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The education sector has gone through a period of significant change in recent years, from the growth of academisation through to the introduction of VAT on independent school fees.

The wider scrutiny of schools and the financial pressure on the sector more generally have all reshaped the operating environment.

Our education team works with independent schools, school groups, higher education providers, tutoring businesses and the wider education sector, including academy school.

We provide the unique audit, accounts, tax, VAT, payroll and the substantive advisory work that the sector needs.

Each part of the sector has its own technical and regulatory framework, which our team is experienced in supporting.

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Related services

How we deliver education sector advice

Each engagement begins with understanding the school or organisation, including its legal structure, financial position and governance arrangements.

Our expertise

  • Audits of independent schools and education charities
  • VAT on independent school fees, including partial exemption methodology
  • Charitable schools and the wider charity regulatory framework
  • Corporate tax for for-profit education businesses
  • Education group structures and consolidations
  • Payroll, including teachers’ pension scheme compliance
  • Property and capital project advice
  • Governance support to school boards and trustees
  • Strategic and financial planning for sustainability
  • Merger, acquisition and consolidation advice

The introduction of VAT on independent school fees is the most significant change the sector has faced in many years. We have worked extensively with schools on the VAT registration, the partial exemption methodology, the capital goods scheme implications, the pricing decisions and the practical implementation.

What you can expect from our education team

Three things define our work in the sector:

Sector fluency

The people advising you understand the regulatory framework you are bound by and your funding model, so that they can provide advice with real impact from day one.

Engaged with the strategic picture

The sector is under pressure and many schools are taking strategic decisions about merger, consolidation or their operating models. Our work supports those decisions rather than simply reporting on them.

Continuity across the relationship

Schools have long planning horizons. Our partners and managers stay with the school across the years, supporting governance, finance and strategic conversations consistently.

Schools and education businesses work with us because they want an adviser who acts as a trusted guide through a period of genuine disruption – one who understands the sector, the regulatory environment and the strategic pressures and who brings the depth of expertise to support the difficult decisions the sector is facing right now.

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Here is what our clients have to say… testimonial icon


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Macalvins have been running the Payroll and Pension Plan for Hayes & Yeading United Football Club for over 10 years.… Read more

Bernard Bitmead

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I love the people of macalvins. they are warm and very dependable. and that what matters to me in any… Read more

SUJOY GHOSH

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I have been MaCalvins for the past 6 years and I have found them excellent in every department. They manage… Read more

John Gill

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I’ve been with MaCalvins since 2013, they are managing my company business accounts and my personal tax returns in a… Read more

Taghreed Altuhafi

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Excellent service and understanding of our business needs

Kanesh Rajani

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Thank you Macalvins for excellent service over the years

S Hodzic

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Why choose Macalvins?

Macalvins is a Top 100 UK accountancy firm, which is already trusted by many independent schools, academy trusts and higher education providers.

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Frequently Asked Questions faq

How is the VAT on school fees regime working in practice?

From 1 January 2025, fees charged by private schools for full-time education and vocational training became standard rated for VAT. Schools have had to register, implement partial exemption methodology, manage the capital goods scheme on existing assets and decide how to pass on or absorb the VAT in pricing. The practical operation in the first year has thrown up a number of detailed issues. We have been working with schools through the implementation and the resolution of those issues.

Our school is considering a merger with another. Can you advise?

Yes. We work on the financial and tax analysis of school mergers, including the structure of the combined entity, the VAT and charity considerations, the pension scheme implications and the practical integration. The corporate finance team leads the deal work and the education team supports the sector-specific analysis.

Can you handle governance support and trustee advice?

Yes. Our partners attend board meetings, support governance reviews and provide the financial and risk input that boards of trustees increasingly need. The regulatory environment for charitable schools has tightened and the standard expected of boards has risen alongside it.

Mr. Jackson
@mrjackson