To think people have the wrong idea about the reason parents use private schools?

Yet happy to spend other people's money? Forcing us to pay 20% more is fine but coughing up their own money to improve schools for their DC isn't acceptable?

I reckon a lot of the school fees for some of the more expensive schools go on maintaining grade 1 listed buildings, rather than on anything spent on the children.

O know most people don’t care, but there are lots of aspects of other people’s lives that don’t affect us, but which we might have an opinion on that is wider than our own experiences. I’m very glad not to have vast school fee bills looming, but I understand what a big stress it is for parents affected.

I find it odd that children eligible for DLA are not exempt from VAT unless they gave an EHCP. I find it odd that a government would want to punitively tax one of the most successful British sectors, for which we have global brand recognition. I find it odd that they would do this in a way that most impacts people already paying a lot of tax here at a time when they know everyone is struggling with the rising cost of living and the highest taxes in our history. I would have thought a more sensible approach would be to pressure these schools to make them more affordable for home students, a bit like universities have home and international fees. That way, more British children could access some of the best educational settings in the world.

@twistyizzy ,

‘Why are we using the chronic underfunding of state schools as the ideal financial model for private schools to aim for?

That is a ridiculous statement!

State schools are government funded. They should get more funding, maybe a 25% uplift, but I doubt they will even get that. The idea of doubling the school budget isn’t realistic.

Private schools, on the other hand, are businesses in all but name. They provide a service for those who can afford and want to pay for it. Some cater for the super rich, some for the only moderately wealthy. And there is nothing wrong with that. Like all businesses, they will adjust to extra costs by either increasing revenue or cutting costs which, as I have explained, is easy to do.

If I told a good state school head that I could increase his income by 75%, he would think he had won the lottery and would create a stunning school, so cutting a private school budget to the same number really should be doable.

There is way too much drama about this.

@twistyizzy "Why aren't we using the funding of private schools as the model for the state to base per pupil funding on in order to raise state education + facilities within state education?"

Because people won't pay more taxes.

YANBU. I send mine because the grandparents offered to pay right from the start. Why wouldn’t I? Most people would do the same in that situation.

As it turns out, it is good for him because, as one of those quiet, middle-of-the-road kids, he would probably be lost in a huge class in a state school. I don’t expect high grades, just a better learning experience.

I should probably add that he wouldn’t have lasted a term in our large state comprehensive. He might have managed a grammar school , but probably not if they were strict on uniform etc. He’d have ended up being one of the 2 millions on children not attending school.

THIS and if I see one more parent claim that they ‘work hard’ as if everyone else who can’t afford private school is sat on their arse.

It’s a strange phenomenon that people paying for an advantage want sympathy for doing so. Pay for your school and own that choice.

I do know 2 people with children at private school, one paid very much for his child to have an advantage and not mingle with riff raff. The other is an older parent who thinks automatically it’s the best available, without having done any research about what else was available.
Neither of them can really afford it though.

We educated our eldest privately from Y7 to Y11 because he has high functioning autism. He’s very academic. Straight 9s at GCSE that he would have got anywhere, even if left to his own devices to teach himself. It wasn’t for the results. It was for a quieter, more flexible and less triggering environment. He is acutely sensitive to jarring sounds and he is a share peg who doesn’t cope well with arbitrary rules. State sixth form college has been fine because he is treated like an adult. He can choose what he wears. He turns up for commitments, but can got home when he doesn’t have any. His classmates are self-selecting, so want to be there. It is the best fit so for.

75% of their cost is staff ie teachers and support staff so cutting back unfortunately udislly means losing staff. As many indy schools are large employees in the local area (teachers, cleaners, groundstaff, SEN, catering, medical etc) then that has a knock on effect on the local employment market.

Why are we using the chronic underfunding of state schools as the ideal financial model for private schools to aim for? Why aren't we using the funding of private schools as the model for the state to base per pupil funding on in order to raise state education + facilities within state education? Why aren't we pressing the government to raise base funding to 10/11K+ per pupil instead of telling private schools to cut? It isn't the fault of private schools that state schools have been chronically underfunded.

The main reason English people use private schools is from social aspirationalism.

@twistyizzy "
Not necessarily, most indy schools operate on tight margins so we will see more closing. The big public schools will be fine."

I dinner understand why private schools can't just cut back a bit. State schools have been doing it for years....

I work in education. I've been a school governor for over 8 years at primary and secondary. I also run a club for young people which averages 50 attendees every week. I cannot do anymore in my local community to make it better for everyone but that is not enough to make it better for my son at an individual level.

@twistyizzy ,

They will work teachers harder (less non contact time), reduce overbloated SLT, might have to reduce marketing, slightly larger class sizes (but still in the 20s).

If VAT costs them 15%, they will just have to manage on 175% of a state school budget.

Yes, teachers and staff. And no, state schools can't cope on 7K, that's why state education is in the mess it's in.

@twistyizzy ,

‘Not necessarily, most indy schools operate on tight margins so we will see more closing. The big public schools will be fine.’

Honestly, if state schools can manage on £7k per annum, a private school (even a cheap one) can manage on twice that amount.

They are on tight margins due to costs. They can easily reduce costs.

I don't think it isbuying results ( in our area grammars get far higher results) it is all about contacts

Not necessarily, most indy schools operate on tight margins so we will see more closing. The big public schools will be fine.

And I am very firmly in the private school demographic. Many people I know would not use the word plebs. Because they don't say the quiet bit out loud

Until recently. Some very unpleasant people out there it seems now they've had their cage rattled. Kept it well hidden before...

@BibbleandSqwauk There is no issue with moving your child to a different school. The issue is with the assumption that a private school will automatically be better.

And I am very firmly in the private school demographic. Many people I know would not use the word plebs. Because they don't say the quiet bit out loud.

Pissing myself laughing that people genuinely think an ordinary private school “buys contacts” that helps people get ahead. My dh went to a fairly well known private school then oxbridge and has not once been able to use a “contact” to get a job or any other advantage whatsoever. He did have a nice time though, taught by teachers who were happy and supported and in a calm environment.

So that’s the privilege we’ve bought for our children: happy, well supported and resourced teachers, calm non violent environment, and amazing sport and music. Never once crossed our minds that we were buying exam grades or “contacts”. The local grammar school has better grades.

@parkrun500club if you substitute "plebs" for "violent thugs who made my DSs life a living hell" then you're right. I'd be failing as a parent if I hadn't moved him. By labelling it "plebs" you are scribing a level of snobbery that isn't necessarily present.

I don't think parents use private schools to buy exam results.

They use them for the following reasons:

(a) to avoid plebs
(b) for smaller class sizes
(c) because their child has SEN which can be better looked after by a private school
(d) for the sport
(e) for connections with some schools
(f) because they want to

I'll tell you why mine went.
We lived in an affluent area of SW London. We applied to the four nearest schools - all excellent. Didn't get into any due to oversubscription. My child was offered a 'adequate' school half way across the borough. We could afford private do the de ision was made to send him to what was considered a quite alternative school (they dud t have computers for one thing). Anyway my DD followed. Then when I moved after being widowed the primary schools were ok, but secondary poor do I continued. I'm happy I did, but I couldn't afford the VAT increase now so glad they are out.

I agree that this policy isn't the way to achieve better funding in private schools. I see them as separate issues.

I'm just finding the ops constant 'don't you want state schools to be better?' really galling, as if state school parents don't want the best possible for their children.