Readers’ forum: When should school register for VAT?

We have a charity client which runs a private school. Presumably from 1 January 2025 it will need to charge VAT on the school fees. It also holds events. This is their email: ‘As you know the recent Budget has confirmed that VAT will have to be applied to private school fees from 1 January 25 onwards. We now have to register with HMRC and have six weeks to get this done. What date should we register from? Will we have to charge VAT on: 1) the rental of a flat to a family who have children in the school?; 2) the local football club uses our car park for home matches. Does this need to now include VAT?; 3) we erect teepees for wedding receptions in the late spring and summer. Do we now have to charge VAT on their use?; 4) what about courses run by our staff for...