Private Schools- hear me out before you judge!

There have been a lot of news articles re private schools closing.
I would have thought / liked Labour to have analysed the impact this would have on State schools.
I would have thought / liked Labour to have assessed the impact on Indi kids too.

Clearly that is not the case and it seems no one seems to really know whether this will raise any money at all!

IF your child can get a place! 100s of LAs saying 0 spaces. This is 1 example

@TheYearOfSmallThings where are you getting your information from? In Scotland we're already whacked for tax, more than England, and many parents can't manage yet another tax to pay for a service they don't use. Fees tend to be less in Scotland which is why there are many children in private school. But it doesn't mean the parents have particularly broad shoulders.

Speaking as one such "victim" (admittedly decades back) it was absolutely fine. One school closed, we went to another, both were lovely. Private schools close sometimes - they always have.

We're on the same page

@Arran2024 Based on what? The private schools in Edinburgh have already seen huge reductions in people applying and all of the state schools are full. I don't doubt parents will struggle through the next couple of years if kids are doing exams. But what happens in the years to come when the already full state schools are expected to take the kids who would have otherwise used private schools?

Are you joking?! Why do you think there is a legal case being brought specific to Scotland? Because simply put, parents can't afford the tax and the impact will be especially strong in Scotland

The Labour govt said they would bring this policy in for the start of the academic year 2025. They lied. It's now January in the middle of the school year as you say. I believe very very firmly they did this because it is a very great deal more difficult for parents to change schools mid-year and so they are cynically and knowingly trying to skew the figures. 'See, barely any attrition rate from the private sector'.

In our school the school waived the one term's notice and one term's fees and we have lost on average 2 children per class. Already. My closest mum friend who is a solicitor and her DH a GP have taken their children out. The one with SEN will now be homeschooled. She has quit her job to do so. So the government has lost the tax on her salary. The government now has to fund the 2 placements for the two who are going to state. That is one example. One.

Ideologies based on spite tend to be expensive, it turns out.

So sad to hear that. I hope your children settle into another school smoothly.

And Edinburgh is prosperous enough to support lots of private schools. If one closes (and it won't be due to VAT alone) there will be plenty of private options available, and it won't be a problem.

Yes, Edinburgh is the outlier. The rest of Scotland is relatively unaffected. And I bet most of those children in Edinburgh get to stay on in their private schools. In Surrey 25% go to private schools. Again most will keep their places.

Exactly yet they are the victims

I believe most funding comes from the poorer children it's called pupil premium, when our DC started school we were told to apply for it even though meals are free for everyone till year 3 because the school gets more funding. If they were previously going to private school they won't be poor.

Hopefully your school is able to adapt to this op we had to have an extra class fr one year group a few years back because so many children were born in 2013. A porta cabin type thing.

Doesn't mean they aren't entitled to it does it. The system is crap and can't handle all the children it needs to. But that isn't the children's fault

I do note I said that. At the moment there isn't a free good education available

Not true though as 1000s are being told 0 spaces. This is just 1 such example for 1 family. There are 1000 more examples

Do the current children's parents volunteer in the classroom? You're making out like it's private kid's parents job to fix this. It isn't.

Note you said free, not good.

Awful isn't it. Every child is entitled to a free education

21% of children in Edinburgh go to a private school.

Exactly this.

The vat is just a convenient excuse for what in some cases is simply poor management.

Would the private school parents be open to volunteering in the classrooms? Or perhaps the PTA could do with some fundraising events?

Weird to read comments mocking your concerns for the other children.

There are few private schools in Scotland. Presumably only a few state schools will be affected. Where I come from in north Ayrshire I can guarantee thee local comp isn't going to be affected.

@Another76543

So you actually believe that private school BUSINESSES (because that is what they are) Leave their forward until the first day of next years Autumn term . ?

Those taking their kids out needed to notify by September. In order not to pay fees in January.

Additionally. The OPs post about the Scottish primary closing 'due to fees' is also disingenuous.

www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/24522524.closure-two-private-schools-something-worry/

Oh don't worry, it will all settle in. My private primary school closed in the 1980s (not VAT, just dwindling numbers) and most of us swamped into the local national (state) school. It must have been a challenge but they were awesome and we never felt unwelcome.