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Original poster

School dilemma - is the 20% increase going to happen?

201 replies

FredandAmy · 07/02/2023 15:10

We have one Y7 DC at private school and a younger DC due to start school later this year. Both DC are dyslexic (youngest not yet officially diagnosed but obvious to me and nursery staff have raised it) and the private school has excellent learning support. It has been amazing for DC1.

Planned to send both private but now worried about the potential huge rise in fees when Labour wins the election next year. We can currently afford fees for both by making sacrifices but if two sets immediately rise by 20+% it would mean one would have to leave.

We have a good state school close by, and hopefully she’ll get a place there but I’m worried that the DC will resent not being treated equally. Also worried that DC will not receive the support they need.

Am I worrying unnecessarily? I don’t want to start her at the private school and have to pull her out when she’s settled, and then find the state school doesn’t have any places. Not sure what to do for the best.

OP posts:
SheilaFentiman · 07/02/2023 18:51

Hobbi · 07/02/2023 18:49

Then they close and pupils go to another independent or slum it in state schools. Or provide evidence of actual charitable activity - Labour is only proposing imposing VAT if charitable status isn't justified; surely a reasonable suggestion?

Show quote history

As I said upthread, I’m not against this policy in principle. But - as with various Tory policies too - it’s wrong to assume the fallout will be zero.

Hobbi · 07/02/2023 18:51

BigCroc · 07/02/2023 18:50

The charitable status and VAT are separate issues

The proposal is that they become linked.

Spendonsend · 07/02/2023 18:55

Hobbi · 07/02/2023 18:50

@Mia85
I know. Labour is suggesting linking it to genuine charitable activity. We can change VAT rules.

Is that to protect the special schools mainly?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

General education Secondary education
Mia85 · 07/02/2023 18:56

Hobbi · 07/02/2023 18:50

@Mia85
I know. Labour is suggesting linking it to genuine charitable activity. We can change VAT rules.

Really? I hadn't read that. Charitable status is not relevant to VAT in any other area. Do you have a link?

Blessedwithsunshine · 07/02/2023 19:01

Labour are serious, I think, Starmer seems to feel strongly about it despite the rank hypocrisy as he himself attended a private school! But he will have to give the Raynors of this world some meaty scraps.

Of course Labour will sink the education system for everyone, not improve it, the cost of living crisis combined with the fee increase will ensure the state school system becomes over loaded and overwhelmed over night, it will not benefit from lots of striving parents.

It will simply mean private schools become even more elite and slimmed down they will become all but unattainable to 99% of tbh country, that’s already happening in top public schools.

Blessedwithsunshine · 07/02/2023 19:03

I am all for equal education for all, I fail to see how it’s actually possible in a capitalist society.

Hobbi · 07/02/2023 19:05

@he attended a state grammar that subsequently became private. He never paid a penny for his education. Hardly hypocrisy. Schools under the last Labour government were vastly better funded and effective than the 18 years before or the 12 years since. Any teacher will tell you this.

SheilaFentiman · 07/02/2023 19:06

“Starmer seems to feel strongly about it despite the rank hypocrisy as he himself attended a private school!”

How is that hypocrisy? something his parents picked when he was 11 or whatever??

Boneweary · 07/02/2023 19:07

Hobbi · 07/02/2023 19:05

@he attended a state grammar that subsequently became private. He never paid a penny for his education. Hardly hypocrisy. Schools under the last Labour government were vastly better funded and effective than the 18 years before or the 12 years since. Any teacher will tell you this.

I’ll disagree. Better funded, maybe.

more effective, no.

Hobbi · 07/02/2023 19:07

@SheilaFentiman

He didn't attend a private school. This is a Daily Mail lie. Pure and simple.

Motheranddaughter · 07/02/2023 19:08

I am totally against private education and support all measures against them

Proudofitbabe · 07/02/2023 19:10

No idea re the 20% and I'm not against private schools at all - but to your question of resentment my advice would be not to do something for one and not the other.

I'd start the second child at the private school as the fees might not rise anyway. If it becomes unaffordable move them both.

Blessedwithsunshine · 07/02/2023 19:11

Starmer attended a private school with a bursary! Fact.

Blessedwithsunshine · 07/02/2023 19:14

He benefited directly from a private school, and went to Oxford, hardly a man that has been scratching through the state system on the bones of his arse, he is also a multi millionaire!
I often wonder why Labour supporters tend to gloss over the actual facts, he is another Middle Aged, Affluent White Male like all the rest. No discernible difference between him and the privileged rabble opposite.

Hobbi · 07/02/2023 19:15

Blessedwithsunshine · 07/02/2023 19:14

He benefited directly from a private school, and went to Oxford, hardly a man that has been scratching through the state system on the bones of his arse, he is also a multi millionaire!
I often wonder why Labour supporters tend to gloss over the actual facts, he is another Middle Aged, Affluent White Male like all the rest. No discernible difference between him and the privileged rabble opposite.

This is a lie.

Pinkyxx · 07/02/2023 19:18

I wonder how many children will be locked out of university when this goes ahead. Like with all education provides they are VAT exempt too...

It's not like uni isn't already expensive enough.

Hobbi · 07/02/2023 19:18

Blessedwithsunshine · 07/02/2023 19:11

Starmer attended a private school with a bursary! Fact.

A lie, mixed in with a biased assessment of the truth. He went to a state grammar. It wasn't until sixth form that he got a bursary. Typical Tory slur.

Hobbi · 07/02/2023 19:19

Pinkyxx · 07/02/2023 19:18

I wonder how many children will be locked out of university when this goes ahead. Like with all education provides they are VAT exempt too...

It's not like uni isn't already expensive enough.

We can make up our own VAT rules.

Blessedwithsunshine · 07/02/2023 19:20

Hobbi · 07/02/2023 19:15

This is a lie.

Show quote history

Nope. Look it up yourself. Reigate became private whilst Starmer was there, and he was given a bursary. He went onto Oxford University.

Tony Blair went to Fettes for goodness sake! Couldn’t find a more posher school !!

Rank hypocrisy at its absolute finest.

NamiSwan · 07/02/2023 19:20

BentleyRhythmAce · 07/02/2023 16:56

Hard left! 😂 poor you, having to subsidise the povvos. My heart bleeds.

Show quote history

😆😆😆. This, basically.

OP, you sound like an absolute prick.

You're not "paying twice" for your kids to go to school. You're paying taxes which support society, just like everyone else, and then you're paying £££ to give your children advantages over others. Now you don't want to face the full cost of your decision.

It's not "hard left" to want the abolition of charity status for private schools. Private schools exist to perpetuate societal inequality. I don't see why they (or you) should receive a tax break to do so.

BoardingSchoolMater · 07/02/2023 19:21

Xenia · 07/02/2023 16:01

It won't be 20% increase I suspect as schools can then claim more vat back and they can cull all charitable works potentially and free places so dropping fees overall.

However the thread is a reason next election (in about up to 2 years' time) so vote Conservative and don't vote Labour.

I was reading the whole thread in case anyone said anything sensible (in order not to duplicate), and this is it.

Hold your nerve, OP. There is no guarantee at all that Labour will win it. MN is generally lefty, but it's not representative of the whole population.

Hobbi · 07/02/2023 19:23

@Blessedwithsunshine

What on earth does Blair have to do with anything. Starmer only got a bursary in sixth form and his parents sent him to a state school; it's disingenuous to characterise all of his time as a private pupil.

Notonthestairs · 07/02/2023 19:24

Starmer read law at Leeds University.
Then one year course (BCL) at Oxford.

Skodacool · 07/02/2023 19:28

Even if they were to win a large majority at the next election Labour would struggle to get such legislation through. The VAT exemption is on education in general ie educational services, materials, activities. It isn’t something that would only apply to private school fees.

Blessedwithsunshine · 07/02/2023 19:40

Hobbi · 07/02/2023 19:23

@Blessedwithsunshine

What on earth does Blair have to do with anything. Starmer only got a bursary in sixth form and his parents sent him to a state school; it's disingenuous to characterise all of his time as a private pupil.

I don’t feel strongly either way, but it is telling that the only Labour PM in decades to win an election was privately educated !! A millionaire no less - Tony Blair.

Ditto Starmer. They are one and the same!

Labour has never even had a female leader to date, not once and it seems to support only their own version of Boris and Co. Let’s be clear Blair is massively privileged and privately educated, and so is Starmer. We are not staring down the barrel of anything remotely new or progressive or meaningful here!!

You could argue the Tories have been far more progressive with Rishi Sunak and female PMs.

I know you loathe the idea that it’s just more of the same but it’s the truth.