Bolton School says it will continue to support pupils to attend the school if plans to scrap the VAT exemption for private schools progress if Labour was to get into power.

Head of Bolton School foundation, Philip Britton said the school would continue to work with local schools but warned it would be difficult ­to expand its bursary scheme to support one in three pupils to attend the school, one of the best in country.

Labour have pledged to scrap the tax exemption as a means of providing extra funding for state education.

Mr Britton said:“It is a pleasure to work in Bolton where there is not division between our schools and where, within the Bolton Learning Partnership, we all work together for 100% of the children of Bolton. Local schools know the value of partnership with us, as we know how we value partnership with them. This will and must continue for the good of all the young people of Bolton.

“Once the noise of the political campaign has diminished and the creation of policy begins I would hope all councillors in Bolton, and all our local MPs, are active in ensuring that the implementation of a manifesto commitment is done carefully and in a considered way, avoiding unintended consequences for the local area.

“Bolton School will work with its parents to make sure that the impact is as limited as possible for the landscape of education locally. We know how the school contributes to the local economy, jobs and investment in the borough.

“Our one in five pupils on bursaries will be maintained. One sadness I have is that we will find it more difficult to move from one in five to one in three pupils on bursaries.”

At the Bolton Council meeting on June 19, councillors locked horns over a motion proposed by Conservative councillor John Walsh to “note with concern” the “threat” of the Labour party’s pledge to impose VAT on private school fees should it win the general election.

Cllr Walsh said he was “proud” to have been a former pupil at Bolton School.

Cllr Ann Galloway spoke in detail about Bolton School’s bursary scheme, which provides one in five pupils with financial assistance of some sorts and one in eleven with fully-funded scholarships.