AIBU to question rising private school fees amid declining GCSE results

https://waldorfschule-frankfurt.de/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026_FWS_Beitrags-und-Gebuehrenordnung-.pdf
Frankfurt - the more kids you have, the cheaper per child.

https://www.steinerschule-basel.ch/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Skala_Schule_2026_27.pdf

Here you go, as an example. This is a large one for Switzerland and a successful one. I think taxes in Switzerland are filed for each family in detail per year so it is not like people could lie or fake their official income. It seems contribution is per family. It talks about solidarity amongst teachers and parents. Perhaps the school is also funded by the Steiner endowments and donations fund to top up.

In fact, in places like Germany/Switzerland there are Steiner schools where families pay fees based on income on a sliding scale and dependent on how many children they have.

I know of a Waldorf school that used to do that in the UK. They closed because they went bust. (Many years ago - pre VAT etc)

I didn’t say they didn’t have jobs. I said they didn’t have to look for them. They had jobs waiting for them.

Or too confident looking at some of my family members who went to one 😬

You ARE the poster who kept bleating on about staff discounts. For goodness sake, take your children out and put them in State schools. You will feel better. Just accept others will not remove their children though - that’s what you are struggling to deal with.

But I don't talk about that third.

Those who are paying the whole fees - but can't afford holidays, gifts and hobbies - those are the stupid ones here, who are paying for status which they can't really afford.

@Sidedoors - your argument does not stack up. A Labour Government probably would want the model you outline where the richer pay more for private education and those with less pay less. In fact, in places like Germany/Switzerland there are Steiner schools where families pay fees based on income on a sliding scale and dependent on how many children they have. They still have richer families sign up who believe in the philosophy.
The whole of society is predicated on the richer paying more into the pot. DH and I pay far more in than most and we are therefore contributing far more to the NHS and Education pot than most. In fact, a lot of Brits do not cover the cost of themselves via taxation. Just because NHS/Education is free for all at the point of delivery does not equate to it being free! A lot of us contribute shed loads towards it.
Anyone choosing private education knows what they are getting into. Namely headline fees plus a typical 4-5% annual rise plus extras. The rationale person who used to do 4-18 is simply now doing 11-16 or 11-18 instead. It is not as black and white as you make out. And plenty of people have grandparents paying and contributing to minimise inheritance tax as well. A lot of families believe in the private education philosophy and whole child education and are willing to put their money towards it, as opposed to expensive cars/luxury holidays/a second home etc. Some people only have 1 child and want to give them a nice experience etc etc. Grown ups are able to make the choice for their children.

And come to think of it, I might very well be part of the dastardly one third - we get a sibling discount on one child which gets us a 5% reduction in fees for the second child!

Do you get this excited about all of your purchases? Like, do you picket M&S because of their use of vouchers / discounts - ‘1/3 are not paying their fair share for Collin cake!!’

yes, I pay list price for dc education and i am aware that some of their classmates pay less. I have made a decision about what their education is worth to me, and while I would love a discount it really isn’t worth my life energy raging about others perceived advantages.

Our school has a fund, but you only know about it by visiting the website - I have never been asked for contributions beyond fees / opt in extracurriculars like music lessons, all of which is very clearly outlined.

they may be targeting alumni rather than current parents, though. Doesn’t really bother me but then I graduated from a US university that has an annual fundraising cycle despite a VERY large endowment and nominal fees about 3x our uk private school fees.

If someone is that stupid that they prioritise perceived status over a normal family life with holidays, hobbies and christmas gifts, it is their problem.
Noone is forcing them.
The fact that a part of families pays less is not the issue here (especially with staff discounts - those are part of school's overall economic strategy), the issue is that people prioritize status and fall for marketing when they can't really afford it.

(SEN families doing everything they can to help a child which would struggle otherwise are a different topic)

So what is it that you want to happen?

That is hardly new. Eton had to start admitting the middle classes in the middle of last century. Up to then their results didn’t matter because their students wouldn’t have been looking for jobs

Really? Up until 1950s no Etonian would have needed a job? My father went there in the 1930s and he and all his friends from there had jobs.

It is all relative. Struggling families on FSM in state schools receiving begging letters and donate to this that and the other and X Y Z for school trips must feel exactly the same! DS state grammar decided to take FSM kids as priority places and then had to cancel an annual trip because they obviously cannot afford it. Next year they want to raise money for FSM school trips. I am sure some people who could afford to donate will complain about this because they feel they pay a lot of tax already. You get all the same issues in the state sector.

As much as private schools would love to maintain the elitist “image” they simply can’t afford to.

That is hardly new. Eton had to start admitting the middle classes in the middle of last century. Up to then their results didn’t matter because their students wouldn’t have been looking for jobs.