FITZMAURICE Primary School has slammed government proposals that would see it hit with a £820 increase in the tax it pays on solar panels.

According to government plans, many state schools are set to be hit with a tax hike, but private schools, free schools and academies will not be affected due to their charitable status.

Fitzmaurice, which earned the Eco-Schools Green Flag Award in June and has dozens of solar panels, along with other schools that have small solar panel installations of less than 50 kilowatts, will no longer be exempt from business rates from April 2017.

“We are being unfairly punished for this. We are really disappointed. State schools are being targeted and that is unjust,” said Fitzmaurice head teacher Tracey Dunn.

“We had dozens of solar panels installed in October 2014 and we have put a lot of effort into teaching our pupils about the environment and the benefits of green initiatives, so to penalise schools who care about this is wrong.

“This will disincentivise schools to do this which is a big backward step. If this had been in place when we were considering getting solar panels, we would be hesitant to do it and I am sure many other schools would too.

“It is a real shame because this is a chance to get this current generation engaged about the environment.

“Despite all this we are hoping to be exempt from this when the changes come in.”

Calculations made by the charity 10:10 have found that this will cost state schools more than £820 a year for the average 10 kilowatt, or 40-50 panel, installation.

St Laurence Secondary School, which is an academy and therefore is not going to be affected, has also criticised the proposal, saying it unfairly targets state schools.

Emma Sandberg, director of finance and operations at St Laurence School, said: “As an academy St Laurence School is exempt from the government’s proposed changes to business rates on our solar panel installations.

“However, It seems wrong to be introducing a tax which will adversely affect state maintained schools, at a time when installing and using renewable energy sources has become part of the educational philosophy in schools.”

In the past, small solar installations were not taxed and schools that recent installed solar panels were looking to pay back the cost of the panels in the next five to eight years.