If you're worried about rising private school fees..

[CurlewKate]

... why not just get a better paid job? It apparently works for poor people.

I’m sure people are well aware of their options in life

Funnily enough, some of the private school parents I know are planning to do just that should Labour start taxing education.

Better still, just un-have all the children you have since you obviously can't afford them (also advice given to poor people).

Hahahaha brilliant! Love it 😁

Or perhaps you could take in dry cleaning?

People on benefits are often depicted as scroungers, but that label is frequently miss applied.

Lol

The rich vs poor divide on MN is there because bitchy judgemental people like to kick people when they're down. The same ones telling poor people to take in ironing aren't necessarily the same people with kids in private school.

In fact I'd bet money that most of the posters who are going to vicariously join in this thread have told posters this exact same advice in all seriousness, or of course the ever popular "why did you have kids if you're not a billionaire?" probably typed by someone living in their mum's garage.

Bullies gonna bully and there are a lot of people on MN who love taking potshots at people with children at independent schools so I'm sure your thread will be very popular (especially among the people who literally spend hundreds of thousands on an entire HOUSE in a good state catchment instead of paying for private school then claim to occupy a moral high ground) and it will invoke a big pile on against people worrying about their finances.

Personally, given that people across the social spectrum end their lives over debt, I think it's in poor taste.

The reality of what will actually happen is that the smaller schools will go out of business pushing both the kids and teachers out into the local schools and unemployment creating even further strain on the system.

I'm absolutely loving all the toys being thrown out of the pram. Cheering me right up on an otherwise somewhat stressful day.

Agree totally op.

I'm a single mum with a ds on a maths scholarship. This is his gcse year. I'm glad you find this amusing 🙄.

I manage to scrape the remaining fees plus uniform money together somehow. Thankfully if Labour choose to wreck the scholarship system it will only affect ds' final a'level year.
I'll sell stuff or take out a loan to get him through the last three terms.

But a tragedy for younger scholarship kids.

That’s what I am doing. I’m looking to see if I can do weekend or evening remote work.

Waiting for someone to suggest taking in ironing.

A tragedy? Really?

There are plenty of kids who truly live tragic lives. I'm not sure that having to switch to a state school qualifies! FFS!

Love this

I have two children at private school and although we can afford the price rise, we will probably cut back on a few extras - nearly all of which we purchase from small local businesses. For example, at the moment the kids have two sports lessons a week with a private coach. This will drop to one.
I’ve also cancelled my gym as I’m working more and using my local national trust place for walks which is actually lovely.
What I also think will happen is that smaller schools won’t close immediately - people will just not put their kids into reception over the next few years and the small schools will fade away, leaving the true rich elite in the very best schools.
Hopefully at the same time the local schools, with I guess 5% more children per class(?) (I have no idea on the actual figures, I assume it depends on area) will improve as all the millions gained from VAT will be spent on hiring more teachers and providing better facilities.
I feel sad for my son’s school. It’s been going since 1533 and provides extensive fully paid places for children as part of the Bridewell Scholarship. I really hope that these are well enough protected to continue to support these children for futures to come but I assume they’re propped up by those of us paying full fees, so who knows what will happen if numbers don’t add up in the future.

@DrMarshaFieldstone No-one sane would want my ironing 😀

But I am a resourceful woman and I will ensure ds completes year 13 somehow, regardless of Labour's small minded destructive spite.

The only thing that keeps me working is school fees, so I'll finally be able to retire and Labour can whistle for the £11k tax and NI I paid last year. It will be a huge relief.

Actions have consequences as they will find.

Yep

Whatever your political views, i think it says something about the person if you are excitedly crowing over the fact that a significant group of children will have to change schools - something that is universally acknowledged as detrimental to both children’s happiness & academic success.

I feel sad that Labour are so short sighted about this opportunity for education. They could have done so much, and yet they just ended up so small “let’s charge more”. Big whoop. Surely you all must see that this is another “300 million for the NHS” again? This is only about punishing the middle classes - but what they could have done was thought “why are people choosing private? What’s the actual reason?” And then “how can we emulate the good bits that happen in private across the public sector”
For example, is it class sizes, specialist teachers, facilities, things they’re taught, how rigorous they are, longer school day, emphasis on character and preparation for university?
Then they could have made the private schools work with local state schools, REALLY work together to spread that privilege to raise standards for everyone.
But instead they just took this simple sound bite answer “let’s put fees up a bit and that’s education sorted”
Shame.

@MrsBennetsPoorNerves

A tragedy for the local child who has just got gcse maths aged 10 (for fun) and now won't have access to a maths dept that can support her, because the local state school only teaches to GCSE, and she's already past that.

I have a child in a private school and I support this 100%.

Why when I can put the DC into state six form and use the money saved for tutoring and holidays?

Ncie to see some get a taste of their own medicine for once. Thanks for making me smile, OP.

How revolting