Schools win fight over charity status

Independent schools have won a concession in a legal battle over the interpretation of their charity status.

The Independent Schools Council, which represents 1,260 private schools, took legal action against the Charities Commission, saying it relied too heavily on how many bursaries a school was offering for the poor in determining whether a school was justifying its charitable status.

As a result, private schools' efforts in allowing state schools to use their facilities were largely ignored. In its ruling yesterday, the tribunal said the Commission must rewrite some of its guidance as it was "erroneous". It said trustees of the charity should be able to decide how it discharged its duties as a result of its charitable status.