How many kids have left the school? (VAT)

It can definitely function as a luxury, but it’s about education choice. Is it Eton and Winchester closing or is it your local preps with less than a 100 kids? Would you rather more choice for more children or less choice for fewer children? Schools that specialise in sports? Dance? Academics? Drama?

I’ve never seen anyone claim to do it to ‘ease the burden’ even though it does, it’s obvious it’s a good deal for the tax payer especially since independent kids grow up to be higher tax payers on average.

i think some people can’t afford it and don’t want it for other children, so dress it up in all this nonsense. It essentially comes down to wanting to spite some children.

Yes. It’s frustrating that so few people acknowledge this. A number of private schools have been closing or on the brink of closure before VAT was introduced. And the schools that have closed were largely vulnerable for other reasons too.

The fact is that all VAT has done is push forward the inevitable. People who can’t afford the 20% rise would be pushed out of private education in the next few years anyway. I can’t say I agree with it but school fees have risen so much over the years vs income that it was moving that way regardless. I started off paying £2500 a term at prep and finished paying for 6th form at £8500 a term and that was pre VAT

Of course it’s a luxury and one that comes with advantages, otherwise no one would be paying for it in the first place. Let’s not pretend it’s some noble act to “ease the burden on the state system” people are paying for benefits for their DC over state school children, and they’re all heading into the same job market. Which is fine just don’t act surprised when it’s treated like a luxury and taxed accordingly.

Of course. As does every parent who pays for private education.

Do you see children’s education as standard and luxury packages?

It's the pipeline. You make it work as long as you can to avoid the disruption for settled children and I would never move my kids if it wasn't a transition year.

But my youngest never started at pre prep and took a very good state school place. My daughter will go to state in y7 and middle will follow (again most oversubscribed school in the area).

I hope the parents of the children who lost out on those places as a result voted Labour not for another party. They at least then have got what they voted for, so it's fair for the family, even if not the child affected. The second best option is a long way off the best in the area I live.

It’s not aggressive, it’s just that your viewpoint doesn’t stand up to any scrutiny and you are not used to be challenged.
So your definition of a luxury is something only people who can afford it can buy it? Would you like less children to be able to afford an independent education choice or more children ?

If it was no different from the standard state package then nobody would pay for it now would they? All that "extra" - thats the luxury.

More aggressive questioning. It is a shame you are not able to accept others having different viewpoints. I believe it is is a luxury as only those with enough money can buy it and free education is available. You can choose to believe differently and that's fine. I wish you a lovely evening.

For what reason does an individual paying for it rather than the tax payer turn it into a luxury?

Private children's education is.

Children’s education is not a luxury or a privilege outside of a small pocket of undeveloped countries

Our school is closing in July. 100 primary school kids uprooted. No sign of trouble pre VAT. My littlest had only just started in Reception. 😢

Here is a link :https://www.gov.uk/guidance/vat-on-education-and-vocational-training-notice-70130
It applies to people aged between 5 and 18, commonly referred to as children.

This is typical of the ignorance around this subject and attitudes to the importance of education. Just a bit of tax free education here:
VAT was introduced in 1973, private schools have always paid it. Labour have introduced ‘education and vocational training tax on children aged 4 to 18’ meaning the child’s education itself is now taxed. It has nothing to do with charitable status

I've heard it all now, "children's education tax". ,??? Fucking nuts to suggest it's a general tax. Enjoy tomorrow's Telegraph. And fuck you and all your family.

I believe it is a luxury and a privilege and therefore warrants being taxed as such. Please now stop the aggressive questions, sometimes you do need to accept that others may not have the same viewpoint as you.

What is nonsense about tax fee children’s education? It’s impossible to fathom how someone can support taxing children’s education whilst also claiming that it’s important. What are your reasons for supporting children’s education tax? Not just it’s not that bad, why do you support it?

The biggest impact will be for y7 and the following years.

I do think current students should have been excluded from the rise in VAT (my dc go to a state school- private was not an option).

Look on the bright side, you get away with not paying VAT for hundreds of years. Because of a deliberate charity legal thing. Private schools had it very sweet for a long time. Pay your fucking taxes. Thank you.

I suspect many families will get through to the next break point whether or not they can really afford it, particularly for a youngest child. It won't be so obvious how many left, but less will start, unless a school closed locally and 'shares out' its pupils.

Nonsense. You have a choice. Free education or fee paying education.

If I choose private school in future, I understand that it will be taxable and I find that perfectly reasonable.

And to add balance, my LA has had to close 16 state schools since 2018. Sad for those children, families and staff.

The birth rate is dropping, meaning less school places are required. This is more prevalent in primary with a plateau and then decline at secondary.

https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/national-pupil-projections/2025

Yet, nationally the number of schools has increased - the biggest increase being in the number of independent schools, the largest closure being state primaries.
There are 26 more schools in England in 2025 compared to 2024. This was due to increases in some phases (4 more secondary schools, 9 state-funded special schools, 1 AP school and 35 independent schools) and decreases in others (21 primary and 2 nursery schools).

https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics/2024-25

I doubt many parents really care if people’s hearts don’t break for their child having to move schools, they probably just care if people support policies that force them to move in the first place.