Getty ImagesSir Keir Starmer has said some children with special education needs will be exempt from his plans to add tax to private school fees if Labour wins the general election.
The party said it would use the money raised to recruit extra teachers for state schools and fund more childcare.
What are private schools and how many are there?
Private schools, sometimes called independent schools, charge fees for most of their students.
While some famous schools like Eton and Harrow charge about £50,000 a year, the average across the UK is about £15,000.
Private schools do not have to charge value added tax (VAT) on their fees because of a legal exemption for organisations providing education.
About half of England’s private schools are also charities, so receive an 80% reduction on business rates (taxes on properties used for commercial purposes).
There are about 2,500 private schools in the UK, educating about 7% of all pupils,…
