To really dislike Bridget Phillipson?

And selfishly for them to need an EHCP they will need a lot of
support that isn’t budgeted for before they get it. And this takes resources from the children already in class.

God forbid disabled people have needs, eh?

Do you feel the same about disabled children who enter the class but haven't come from private school? Or is it only certain children that are taking resources you feel they're not entitled to?

I don't have children at school any longer but both mine went to an OK state school. I don't really understand why Labour are doing this (if they do), if this policy sends many more children to state schools (which have financial pressures, lack of experienced teachers and a soaring demand for SEN provision) surely things will only get worse in the state sector? Do overseas pupils at private schools have to pay VAT on their fees? Will we just see an increase in overseas students coming into the private sector to keep it financially viable? For the small sums raised by VAT being added to fees, this seems an odd decision.

Bridget Phillipson has actually made a pretty well-received start as Education Secretary by the teaching profession who are used to a constant revolving door of utter dildos in the role.

So far we have had Ofsted single grades scrapped immediately, which was a huge issue for teachers, particularly headteachers. The 5.5% pay rise signed off with funding, unlike twatting around by the previous government. Performance-related pay scrapped and the right to take PPA at home have also been put in.

There's a curriculum review that has just opened and they are taking submissions. https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/curriculum-and-assessment-review

The Observer put out a twatty story about how Labour were going to ban exclusions and she was on it right away saying it was bollocks and she wouldn't do anything like that, which shows that she isn't going to pander to the ultra-progressive lefty education wing, which is good.

She does, unlike previous Ed Secs, appear to be listening and taking on board the scale of the problems in education. Things feel like they have the potential to get better at least.

The PP doesn’t understand behavioural economics, messaging, and nudge theory…

Well if anything is to change in the state sector, the funding needs to come from somewhere other than VAT on fees! It doesn’t raise enough. Even the IFS have said that.

It's in very poor taste to object to children with SEN joining your child's class just because they have SEN. Disablist even. If the class size permitted is 32, the class is now at 32 then why have you even mentioned the children have SEN? They're entitled to be there. What are you scared that these children are taking away from your precious, perfect, non-SEN child?

It's just weird how many people suddenly care so much about children with SEN when they can use them as a political football but at any other time they're a nuisance and a burden, taking resources away from the other children.

she has literally done nothing yet.

She has published draft legislation and stated that VAT will apply from January.

I don’t think that a general “SEN” exemption is practical as it’s too wide. There’s already provision in the proposals for those with EHCPs.

@SurroundSoundLol she has literally done nothing yet. “Divisive and populist” can only refer to the VAT on private schools, and to be fair, that does divide the 7% of people who send their kids to private school from those who don’t, and it’s certainly popular.

Obviously, the situation you find your children in isn't what you hoped for for them. I don't think you can entirely put the blame for that on an Education minister and government who have been in power for a few months.

Class size legislation pre-dates the current government so there have always been cases where there will be large classes post KS1. VAT as the sole factor? It may be other, multiple factors: personal circumstances of the families involved, cost of living, some private schools don't do well at SEN etc.

As for teacher recruitment and retainment, something needs to change. Whether the proposed plan to recruit 6500 more teacher will have much impact, I'm not sure. The working conditions that teachers have currently is the issue. Until something is done to make the profession more attractive, in terms of the workload, the renumeration and having the professional respect it deserves, I can't see it effecting much change.

In term of the mechanism for recruiting and training teachers, that set up has to be able to accommodate the numbers, doesn't it? So although an extra 6500 doesn't sound enough (it isn't) there's not much point in promising numbers beyond those that can be accommodated, or, ironically, you'll have too many teaching students to fit into classrooms, lecture halls and find teachers, placements and mentors for.

The whole system really needs review, but it's massive and monolithic. Government is short term and increasingly populated by careersists with no long term strategy. I hope she doesn't disappoint but I'm not hoping for too much to begin with! I don't object to the VAT as part of a solution, but there needs to be much greater funding and foresight to improve the education system and it'll take time, probably more than one parliament unfortunately.

It’s not an attack on the VAT per se. It’s pointing out that some state school pupils are being negatively impacted by pupils switching from private to state.

Well, on a positive note.

Legal challenges, policy flip flops, resurgent unions,
markets, and government incompetence should keep things interesting.

I think this is what a lot of supporters of the policy are missing. We know that it will raise a “tiny” amount of money and won’t affect spending on public services (the IFS have said that). The only thing the policy does is financially penalise private school parents, and disrupt children in both the state and private sector. It indirectly negatively impacts the state sector, because of families making the switch (it will be worse in some areas than others).

I just can’t get my head around the logic of disrupting all children (state and private) for a policy which doesn’t raise money.

YABU.

I’ve read the OP, and yes, it’s a whine about VAT on private schools barely disguised as a general attack on Phillipson who has not had the chance to introduce a single policy yet.

Yes, horrible evil woman and someone who should not be in government in a civilised country. I hope she is forced to resign soon. Unfortunately, she is part of the loony pack that we have in power.

It hasn’t been executed yet.

Luke Sibieta….

purely anecdotal but I know 3 families with kids in private year 11 and all 3 are applying to move back into the state system for year 12 - two of them have dyslexia and that was the reason to move to private in the first place

Yes, quite a few have left the private sector already. Some made the decision over the holidays when it was announced that VAT would be imposed from January (not September as originally implied). Some families simply can’t afford a 20% hike in fees.

You clearly haven’t read the OP. They are a state school parent being impacted by the policy.