VAT on private schools- facts only!

[CurlewKate]

Are there any actual figures for the number of pupils who have so far been withdrawn from private schools because of the VAT increase? And the number of new applications to state schools because of the VAT increase?

Others have posted that Bad Actors exist on MN.

Independent schools also complete a DfE census annually (SLASC), they just do a different one to the state schools.

I haven’t disappeared-I have been very active on many other VAT threads! I posted this one hoping that someone actually had some actual figures. As nobody did I didn’t see the point in keeping the thread going and I only just noticed that it had been brought back to life.

I haven’t disappeared-I have been very active on many other VAT threads! I posted this one hoping that someone actually had some actual figures. As nobody did I didn’t see the point in keeping the thread going and I only just noticed that it had been brought back to life after dying in March.

We did have actual figures!

We have even worse ones now. You still support the policy though so what's the point? You will support the policy even when it becomes a cost to the state and taxpayer

DH is a board member at a large Multi Academy Trust, over 50 schools mostly in the South.They have seen very little transfer from private schools for this September. One school after an Outstanding OFSTED has had six applications others are either none or 1/2 From self interest he would like a lot more as about 80% of the schools have spare places due to well known demographic factors. They could accommodate over 1000 more pupils across the 80% with vacancies.

I feel sorry for children mid exams but genuinely want all private schools to close so see no issue with closures.

How about the SEND kids who are in independent schools purely cos the state couldn't/wouldn't meet their needs. 130k of them.
The children of military families?
Those on fee assistance?
The specialist music/art/drama schools?

You will probably be disappointed that the court ruled that the government couldn't "tax out of existence, or otherwise, force the closure of independent schools".

Because generally The South has wealthier parents and more alternative options if schools close.
Not everywhere is The South

Academy's are the real education villians.

Anyway, I am more interested in how the alleged massively benefits to state schools is going following this- weren't people promised the money would be reinvested in schools and make marked improvements to state provisioned education? How's that going? I am sure those who suspected it was more geared towards appeasing and pleasing a certain sub set of society were wrong and its had tonnes of positive affects?

Unsure why previous post posted twice!

The OP asked for facts. These are facts, his schools are in the South, I’m not sure what I can do about that.

It's not cos Starmer later said the money was going on housing and defence!
FYI when the % of kids leaving = 10% then the policy becomes a 100% cost to the state

My DD works at a prestigious HMC school. They have had an increase in applications this year despite the fee increase ( btw fees have increased every year for ages ). They thought they may have a drop in applicants but this has not been the case.

Can you show me the data? That's fact, otherwise it's just anecdotal evidence

The clue is in your description "prestigious". Those aren't the sort of schools being impacted. The elite/prestigious schools will be fine, it's the small/local schools which are suffering and closing purely because they don't have the reserves.

This is why we say the policy will make independent schools MORE elitist. Bursaries etc are being cut/reduced etc

You would like me to show you data which would run to over fifty pages. Or perhaps a confidential Board report? Neither of which I have access to. You think DH is telling me lies or I’m telling you lies. He isn’t that interested in independent schools except as I said he’d like a lot more of their pupils to transfer as it would be financially beneficial to his Trust. Most costs in schools are fixed so the additional income c£5/6000 per pupil is very welcome. Presumably if I’d said they had been inundated and couldn’t cope you’d have been more prepared to believe my “anecdote”.

But they won't get that income for new pupils until the next budget will they? So mid-year pupils don't bring the money with them.

No need to get snippy, but you were the one saying OP asked for data and facts! I can provide evidence to back up any one of my points. That's all I'm saying.

September isn’t mid year. Schools financial years start 1st September.

But budget will already have been set. So 3 schools closed this summer holidays, say your DH got requests in Sept, those kids wouldn't be funded until next Sept. That's 1 whole year of being taught without the school receiving the funding.

16K kids have left independent for state schools between Sept 24-July 25, none of those will have been funded.

My intel suggests that many smaller schools are about 20% down on yr 7 intake. (Source, meeting of sizeable group of teachers from different schools).

Yep and that's why it is smaller schools which are closing

Locally quite a few prep schools are merging with similar senior private schools, and creating through schools. The prep school my DD's went to, is increasing it's nursery provision, which is oversubscribed, and making money, and going up to age 7 only and now for boys and girls. They have merged with a senior school to whom many of the girls used to gain entry into. Both schools therefore stay open, but effectively the prep school is no longer operating as one. Those kind of changes won't show in the stats.

@zaazaazoom why would you be so dogmatic about wanting all private schools to close ? You must be so depressed that the only ones likely to succeed are the really prestigious ones Eton Radley Harrow 🤦‍♀️

unfair, innit? Despite everyone gleefully telling us that it’s pointless anyway, that their mates kid who went is no smarter than theirs, struggled at sixth form and uni, somehow they still want rid of it as the source of all social ills.