RUTHIN School's new head Frances King will not pass a VAT increase on to parents at the fee paying school this year.

Private schools are a hot topic at the moment as the Government plans to remove VAT exemptions prompting passionate arguments on both sides of the debate.

But sitting down to discuss her plans for the school with the Denbighshire Free Press, Frances assured parents the school would absorb the cost this academic year. 

"We have yet to see the Government plans in detail," she said. "Bringing in the changes in the middle of the school year when parents have already budgeted for their fees is an unusual move.

"We don't feel it is fair to pass that increase on and create that additional stress for parents so we will cover the additional VAT this year, we will see what the Government implements and read between the lines to see what that means for future years."

The school has ambitious plans to increase outreach programmes that offer non-students in Ruthin and North Wales access to resources and facilities to improve learning opportunities.

Frances has also expressed her desire for Ruthin to remain a school that local day pupils' families can continue to afford.

"We do continue to offer extended bursaries to our day pupils to maintain that important, happy mixture of international and local students. What a shame it would be if this Government policy made those schools that continue to operate more selective and more expensive." she said. 

In addition to the VAT plans, Frances and her leadership team have put safeguarding at the heart of their strategy. 

Since the texting scandal of disgraced former Ruthin headteacher Toby Belfield four years ago, the school has conducted root-and-branch reform of it's safeguarding policies to create a safe and positive environment for students.

"We are probably more cautious now than other schools that haven't had that close brush with fire," said Frances. "The internet never forgets and there will be many people for whom that period is still fresh in their minds. 

"But there has been significant reform of our safeguarding policies and we run a well disciplined and successful school. One of our board members works with the NSPCC and his job day-in, day-out is safeguarding. He makes sure internally and externally we have a watchful eye on absolutely everything.

"We encourage people to come and have a look, turn over every stone, open every cupboard because we have no skeletons. We are not saying we are whiter then white, all schools and communities have issues they need to deal with because we are people and we can make mistakes. 

"But if something does go wrong we are humble, we apologise and investigate to establish what has happened and we have no anxieties about how our school is seen today."