A NEW Forest private school is one of five being forced to demonstrate its "public benefit" in an investigation by the Charity Commission.
Moyles Court must show it is not an "exclusive club" and that it offers a benefit to the wider community, such as sharing facilities with state school pupils or offering more cash for bursaries for poorer pupils.
The school is in the first batch selected by the Commission since a change in the law affecting charity schools.
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There is no suggestion the school has done anything wrong. All charity schools will be subject to similar checks in the future and those that do not meet the tough new criteria may lose their charitable status and therefore be forced to close.
Charitable status brings the UK's independent schools tax breaks worth around £100 million a year and the government is keen to show they are giving something back to the wider community and helping poorer pupils.
Moyles Court operates under the charity name of Manor House School Trust Ltd. Its head teacher, Greg Meakin, said he is looking forward to working with the Charity Commission.
"I regard this as an opportunity to celebrate the school's good work in and contribution to education, working with young people, families, the local community and beyond," he said.
"The daily life and operations of the school will not be changed by any of this."
The Independent Schools Council chief executive, David Lyscom, urged the commission to consider the running costs of the schools involved and added: "Full-time education is not cheap."
Dame Suzi Leather, chair of the Charity Commission, said the investigation will help to produce guidance for other charitable organisations.
Moyles Court is in Rockford, near Ringwood, and caters for day pupils and boarders. It has a nursery unit, junior and senior school.
The other schools involved in the process are Manchester Grammar School, one of the top performing schools in the country, Pangbourne College in Berkshire, St Anselm's School Trust in Derbyshire and Highfield Priory School in Lancashire.
Results of the inquiry will be published in the spring.
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