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 don't blame you at all for making that choice.

But ALL schools need to be smaller and kinder with small class sizes, as currently one in five kids are persistently absent.

Do you think that money will somehow disappear?

So it's OK when you benefit from it, and those poorer than you lose out. But not when you are too poor to benefit from it, and those richer than you still benefit. Got it.

Btw, children notice much more than you think.

Of course - most families don’t. But why would you rub your hands with glee at making those who can stretch to get their sen kids a suitable education worse off or no longer able to afford suitable schooling?

and yes, of course it would be nice for every child in the state sector to have a choice of good schools but they don’t and that’s not happening any time soon.

Private education for the majority of private school pupils is a luxury, not a necessity. They could attend state schools instead. As such, it is perfectly reasonable to tax the fees, as any other luxury is taxed

This luxury saves the tax payer a fuckton of money by parents paying for a service the state would otherwise have to provide.

1. they’ll need more money to fund the additional state school spaces

2. in my opinion, there is currently woeful underinvestment in many services to protect and assist our vulnerable. Being fiscally responsible is essential to reversing that. So I believe your comment of who cares about money maybe they just want to be fair is very naive

90% of kids are in the state system, a further % are in private schools funded by the state (sen schools usually) I don't think anyone can get that upset if a small number of the private school students have to switch to private what the rest of the country have no choice but use, scholarships or not. Perhaps a rolling out of vat by year group would prevent a cliff edge for those already in gcse and a level years but beyond that my sympathy is limited.

My dd, my eldest in particular struggled at her failing comp but I don't have rich parents to pay fees so there she stayed (we weren't wealthy enough to pay school fees and the mortgage!) she got 6 a* and 4 A's from her school in special measures, 3 heads in 2 years... pretty sure she wouldn't have done much better at private school.

The only reason kids at private schools do better is because they get educational support at home, enrichment, parents value education etc - you do that at comp they also get the grades they are capable of (not all kids are capable of A's/9's they are usually weeded out of private schools from friends experience)

When does she say “it’s ok if those poorer than” her lose out? She says nothing of the sort. She is pointing out that the alternative to paying for private is home schooling- and no that’s not ok.

you’re so desperate to hit out at those you’re jealous of but instead you’re just attacking sen kids and their families.

FWIW lots of private sen schools allow parents to pay (i have experience of this). Often kids get it added to their EHCP further down the line, but it's very common ime to pay for nursery and reception. Although lots are also council funded from day 1, depends on how quickly the EHCP process goes.

I dont think any specialist SEN schools should be subject to the VAT, however it seems that they will be(?) I wonder if labour will spend all the extra money on many new state special schools (🤣🤣 not happening).

But if a load of vocal, private school parents were suddenly plunged into the state sector, a lot of fucking schools might be built PDQ.

Politicians mostly went to and send their kids to private schools or top performing state schools. The current lot certainly have no clue or don't care how state schools are failing so many pupils right now.

Well let’s hope for all you ‘private’ school users that Labour leave private schools’ charitable status intact - pretty certain fees will rise when it is eventually removed - 👍🏿☘️

I guess they could take in some ironing and just eat massive salads

Where did I say that? I'm not the one trying to take it from anyone. If I can no longer afford private fees I will be sad for my family but I won't be trying to remove it from anyone else nor will I be bitter that they can afford it. It's not a race to the bottom. I will just be sad for my family.

@eveoha they have u-turned on charitable status and are no longer removing it

Who said no-one is bothered about it?

It takes a truly disgusting person to pile on with comments like yours. Says more about you than any parent who pays thousands for their children's education

Ah the classic, if I can't afford it, no-one else should have it. We Brits love a race to the bottom.

Do you think there aren't a lot of kids in state schools who are neurodiverse, who have disabilities, mental health issues, anxiety etc? State schools deserve the extra funding they desperately need.

I'm amazed at how nasty some of these posts are. And short-sighted too.

Do people not get that once people are priced-out of private school education they will then move to the catchment areas of the better state schools, thereby preventing others from being able to attend the better state schools?

And where will this end: What about university fees, private nurseries, private tuition? And of course the private sector is heavily relied on by many with SEN who often aren't adequately catered for by the state system.

But if a load of vocal, private school parents were suddenly plunged into the state sector, a lot of fucking schools might be built PDQ

yeah, that’s ridiculous. In the same way the labour government isn’t listening to them protesting about VAT, it isn’t going to listen to them about building schools.

the better off would just buy up the houses near the better state schools to get their kids in there

Of course children with sen should have better provision. But that won’t happen certainly not quickly. And yes, for many private school is a luxury for for some it’s a necessity.

The problem is that this policy will harm kids who need the smaller class sizes and extra assistance that private can offer. Yes it would be nice if we could all have that, but understandably parents already having to pay for their kids to get an adequate education because the state isn’t offering appropriate provision are not keen to pay even more.

Do you really think it’s ok for you to lecture mothers of sen kids on SEN education?

It's also important to remember that the best indicators of success in education is the education levels and involvement of the parents. So by definition, most private school children will do wherever they go

But do you honestly think they will get the extra funding? I don't. The money will just disappear into a black hole and, very sadly, I don't see SEN getting the priority it deserves.

If anything, resources for SEN will become worse as they will have to be stretched to provide for those who can no longer afford private schooling.

Single parent here, band 7 nurse. Child already at the nursery attached to the private school which she will be going to in a couple of years. Definitely not rich. HTH.

Do you think that justifies starting this nasty thread?