Abolishing private schools - how would it work in practice?

[Dongdingdong]

Labour has voted to abolish private schools:

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-public-private-school-abolish-eton-vote-conference-corbyn-education-policy-a9115766.html

Whether you agree with this or not, I don’t understand how the logistics would work. Would private schools suddenly cease to exist from say, summer 2023, with all pupils forced to find a place at the local state school for the autumn term onwards? What would happen to the buildings and facilities - would they remain as state schools or be sold off to developers for example?

Sorry, a low performing GCSE secondary prior to sixth form.

I would love to not pay school fees. but i also want my child to have the best education i can offer, and i do not want them to stress about tests age 7.
both don’t go together. a friend’s little girl was crying every evening and morning between christmas and summer last year because of the pressure their state schools puts on them for year 2 SATs. While not a schools are that extreme, you usually have no choice in terms of state schools.
many private schools don’t do SATs, so that is nit an issue.
Fix the state school system, and the private school system will disappear all by itself. Taking private schools away will just lead to more kids being failed by the state system

You are not saying anything which informs me that you have looked at and experienced the environment and methods in an independent school. Most people are aware of what they do? Don’t think so. Most are quite ignorant, dismissive, and happy to go along with the general hate. They are schools. Many provide a fantastic all round education, providing society with well-rounded young people of all different classes and talents. They are independent - which is the main Godsend, as they are not subjected to the whims of Govnmt. They will nurture and develop the individual’s strengths - be that academic or creative/technological.
To be ‘up in arms’ about the state system means exactly the appalling inequity and cuts in schools funding which is the root of the rot. As you state, it takes a great deal of finance to run a school well and healthily. As a parent who’s bank balance has just been ransacked for the start of term, I feel this only too well. I am fully supportive of tax rises to overhaul the state education system - no question. Academies are often a joke - set up as businesses; the Head gets an automatic massive pay increase, & good teachers get rationed around the Trust or Consortium, but mostly things don’t improve. The task is enormous, but abolishing independent schools as the focus is a shit idea. When I heard about it, I envisaged our Headmaster in his study yelling ‘over my dead body!!’, and I’m certain he will be writing something in his blog this week to that effect.
Anyway, I can see you really don’t seem to know a great deal about it. Your view of hate and prejudice will prevail, I’m sure. The Days of the Bullingdon Club are long gone, you know. The low uptake of places at the best Unis, including Oxbridge has changed and is changing. Accessibility is being improved - and a lot of it has to do with schools waking up and finding out about the admissions system so they can support their applicants. The strength of independent schools is now more than ever in their ability to provide a very good education.

But no. Prejudice and vilification. You can keep it. I’m done.

I wish some effort was spent in looking more closely.

Tax breaks - all schools get tax breaks. No school has to pay VAT? Although our independent school does. I’m not sure about charitable status, but I don’t see why an establishment for education should not be? All funds are plowed back into school. Ours started off as a Grammar school - probably went independent to take it out of the hands of the LA.

Did you know, there is a scheme for buying musical instruments? If you are a state school pupil, you don’t pay the VAT - but you need to go through school. If at independent school, you do pay VAT!! So that’s all good. Most state schools don’t let anyone know. Most probably aren’t bothered to find out about it.
Need a coffee....

Home educated pupils are still flagged due to postcode.

That would be extremely unfair.
Much of our village has the same postcode which includes a large manor, a large Old Vicarage, council houses and everything in between.

Every street has its own postcode, so your whole village does not have the same postcode.

@Quaffly, thanks for engaging so reasonably and rationally (not always easy on these threads). The analogy with racism and sexism is not perfect, but I recognise that forms of prejudice are subtle and structural. I would love if it as a country, every state school could have the resources of the average private school, but we're a long way away from that.

@DoubleTweenQueen Sorry, I find it very difficult to engage with you because of your anger and posting style.

Endofthedays - Privately educated people are not aliens! Why on earth do you think they don't have 'something in common with those they work for or with'?

Actually one of the major advantages I found for my and all the children that I know went to private school is that they were taught how to speak and be civil with everyone they came across, no matter their background.

Manners and ability to be team players were major focuses of the education my children got and really is something that costs nothing to instil in comprehensives but would probably be looked upon as 'old fashioned'.

Sorry, I find it very difficult to engage with you because of your anger and posting style
and you are making points that I can't argue with

No, I tend to favour calm, rational debate (I'm a product of my elite education )

It's a bit of an insult to all parents of kids in state schools that they need this influx of private parents to come in and get change to happen. Like currently parents haven't already tried that or aren't just as capable. The fault lies with the lack of investment in education and too much red tape created by the government. Parents can't solve that.

I know they are not aliens, but having a strongly disproportionate number of people from private schools does change a working culture and the service offered.

Even in your own post you are suggesting there are cultural differences between private and state schools.

Endof I said ‘much’ of our village has the same postcode as most of it is one street which includes the Manor House and the Old Vicarage and some council houses.

LaPeste - I imagine your remark is insinuating. I can say that I support no prejudice, on any grounds. I think school information should not be included on applications. The qualities of the applicant should be the only criteria. If state education is putting bright students at a disadvantage, then it should be fixed. As a first priority. And provide ALL children with the environment to grow and develop their talents - which are all various and valuable, and not all based on Maths & English SATS performance. That’s another thing - my younger daughter is thrilled she won’t have to sit SATS! She will spend yr6 doing interesting and fun learning. Yay!
Anyway, If I see you, I might be able to stump up for a scotch :) Been nice chatting.

I know they are not aliens, but having a strongly disproportionate number of people from private schools does change a working culture and the service offered.

Could you give some specific examples of this, endof?

DoubleTweenQueen

There isn't such a thing as a "private school that will do x" - much like the state sector there are a vast array of private schools from excellent to poor.

Trewser!! You get a double!! :D

clink

@DoubleTweenQueen - ok, you're on. Nice chatting.

Then the occupants of that street may find they are flagged under one system and not the other, both or neither.

But they are certainly sharing some social experiences which are not experienced by those who are living on very different streets.

Language use would be an obvious example.

JaquesHammer - Apologies, not sure what you mean? I know independent schools are very different - in my area we have selective academic to various degrees, specialist SEN provision, single sex schools, different ethos/feel/strengths. Some are boarding schools; modern or more established, more geared towards overseas students..... It is an increasingly competitive area, thanks to what’s been happening with the State system.

They will nurture and develop the individual’s strengths - be that academic or creative/technological

It was really this bit I was responding to - whilst some undoubtedly will, others most definitely won't!

As equally there are poor and great state schools, there are poor and great private schools.

I agree with Cinnamoncake. One of the things that I keep reading on here is that having private school children move into the state sector will mean that their parents will be more invested and campaign to improve standards.

Friends who send their children to state schools are clever (and engaged and invested). Their children are clever and do well. They don't need a load of prep school parents to come in and save the day. Particularly if their answer to all problems is to chuck a bit of money at them.

One thing I once saw on here was that, if private school children were all to go to the state school, their parents should be asked to pay the same fees that they used to pay to increase state funding. This will not happen. In the same way that, if I find out that my neighbour paid their decorator £500 I won't want to pay the same guy £4,000 for the same job, private school parents won't be up for paying fees when virtually no one else does. They'll pay tutors instead.

Apologies - I think I’m just speaking from my own personal experience, plus the fact that the independent sector in our area is very competitive so have to perform and provide what the parents are paying for. I don’t know how poor independent schools survive?

DoubleTrouble99 - agree with you there. It’s the soft skills that aren’t examined, but make a big difference throughout life.