Nearly £9000 more spent on private secondary pupils than state pupils

[SluggyMuggy]

Research from University College London that found £12,200 a year is the average spending on a privately educated primary pupil, compared with £4,800 on a state pupil. For secondary, it’s £15,000 compared with £6,200.

This entrenches inequality as private pupils are given far more resources towards their education.

Yep.

If I wasn’t now paying fees I too could go part time. That’s a lovely thought. I’d have time to get fit, pursue my own interests, and be there for the kids whenever needed.

I’ve already factored VAT into my calculations though, so it won’t push me out yet. I’m only in at all because DD would have been annihilated in the school we were offered (which was not a choice on our list). It will probably mean DD leaves to do state sixth form though.

OP, let's just look at the financial aspects.

If VAT is imposed at 20%, perhaps 15% of independent pupils will revert to state schools, or those pupils who would have gone to independent will go to state instead because their parents are unable to afford the fees.

15% is roughly 100,000 children. The state will have to pay for their education at an average of £6,700 per annum each. That's £670,000,000 a year extra on the public purse.

And to what end? Fewer children getting a decent education. A general drop in the quality of education hitting skills for UK Plc in the future. Society becoming even more divided with the very rich even more separated from the rest of us. Thousands of SEN children no longer receiving the support they need. Many gifted and experienced teachers leaving the profession because they don't want to work in the state sector which they have already left.

And the significant loss in tax revenues as parents who continue to work beyond retirement age to fund fees, giving up.

Who does this policy help?

https://mediataylor.com/labours-vat-policy-for-private-schools-will-hit-every-homeowner-and-bankrupt-local-councils/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1CRmKvvW1LjAjs65utCwq6f6KXv6W4Y31qxsQabaXicqm-kH6oyAflJIY_aem_AdylAsTx9rKJomp8SXWDyAqbQIR6SUYyuPOH0JB-GZ-2XSzLISuW7EUFK1JvcAhYoWb5weQbQoNTN0UeUwKpjnri

That was my reason for choosing a private school, one of my children was bullied badly in their first school, a state local with a very reputation, the school did nothing to help, so I had to switch to private.

I struggled with the fees but I don't regret it.

It's really sad that children are used to score ideological points. This proposed move makes no economic sense whatsoever. It's all class warfare.

Thanks for sharing this, I’ve written to Keir Starmer and included this article (for what it’s worth) he might pick it up? Who knows!

Unfortunately neither Starmer or Reeves have been willing (so far) to discuss this, after all it is practically their only suggestion for raising money however it would be great if you could. Every piece of communication counts at getting them to the table.

He knows.

Fur them it’s worth it, it’s all ideological.

I’m not sure he does know as it’s idiocy if he does know and he’s doing this for a populist vote. He knows it will COST the country?! It’s not even funny. It’s distressing that he is apparently our best alternative to the Conservatives.

At this point Starmer will do whatever to not lose even if it means costing more

It appeals to people and therefore it’s votes

Listening to Cooper this morning I don’t think they need any of this stuff to actually stack up

Why don’t the parents just parent them?

@Araminta1003 I can only speak for ds' school which is small (550 pupils) and very unfashionable. Pupil cohort is army, local professional, local farming families. There's no 'pre-chosen group' just a catchment area of about 25 miles radius plus a very small number of international pupils. No super-rich that I am aware of. About 10% SEN. Less money than you might think. We have a PTA, bake sales and fundraisers just the same as any state school. We've just paid for a new filtration system for the (outdoor) pool.

Standards of uniform and behaviour are focused on during pre-teen years. Smoking/vaping/phones are banned absolutely. Pastoral care and anti-bullying policies are very good. Parents and DCs sign behaviour contracts. The parents support the teaching staff. No in-term holidays.

By the time DCs hit teens, they know what is expected of them. Any sign of problems receives attention immediately. Violence/aggression/serious bullying with a three strikes and you're out policy, no exceptions. Individuals are not allowed to harm the life chances of others.

In 5 years my ds has been on the receiving end of a bullying incident once. The school called me to let me know what had happened before DS got home. They explained the process to deal with the bully. I didn't have to chase them.

Generally it is a happy place. Kids know what is expected of them. They know where to go for help. They feel safe. It's very straightforward.

I think a lot of people think of Eton or Harrow but it's nothing like that.

Sounds exactly like DDs private school in all aspects: rural serving local families + military + international. A million miles from Eton etc al

“Why don’t the parents just parent them?” @Welovecrumpets

A lot of parents can barely manage their own lives, struggling with poverty/mental health issues/shift work/complicated blended families/absent fathers/addictions/domestic violence. It is like the saying “a good parent is only ever as happy as his or her unhappiest child”. Guess what - the same applies to children. Children really suffer when their parents do. They pick up on their parents mental health issues and are neglected/often even worse aka emotional abuse and then act out at school just seeking some attention/acceptance from a peer group. It is all very sad.

However, it is the Government’s job to allocate funds and specialists to help these children. In this country we have a lot of charities trying to step into that space, but it is not enough. We can’t expect professional working parents with functioning kids to somehow take on that job by “osmosis”. What happens in reality is that when there are too many “difficult” children the teachers can’t cope, get stressed, even the otherwise OK children are then shafted into a horrible stressful daily environment. Try being in permanent fight and flight and analyse the effect on the nervous system, those of us who have experienced stress at work and burn out will know what I mean, yet here we are, willing to expose many children to this kind of environment daily. And teachers as well of course and then there is an impact on their own children too, even if they go to calmer more functional schools.

In addition, also look at what social media has done to the mental health of many adults. It is not surprising that it has affected children even more who don’t have the maturity and critical thinking to stop/use it in a balanced way. Social media has had a negative impact even on children from advantaged backgrounds. So there is that too.

Samaritans for example have developed a chat function and go into schools, they rely heavily on volunteers in case anyone on here is interested.

Teens in particular prefer the chat function over talking. Many are beyond being able to talk.

This isn't very convincing! The goal of life isn't to work and receive taxable income. People being forced by circumstance to work past retirement just increase the sum misery in the country.

If we followed this argument to its full conclusion, we'd maximise work done by scrapping school and sending the kids back down the mines...

I feel like the only way we could have an excellent society is if we prohibited certain people from having children. I’ve looked at it from every other angle and there’s no other way. I disagree that bodily autonomy for the small minority trumps the right of the rest of society to live peacefully and happily.

Annihilated? Please explain?

Does bullying not happen in private then?

Bullying can happen anywhere. It's the way it's dealt with that matters.

But surely you can understand that?

So private schools deal better with bullying is what you’re saying?

Yes, in my case they did.

Well that’s abit shit isn’t it.

Why?

Because bullying is shit.