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?

But in the highly unlikely scenario of him coming to power, and the even lower probability of him implementing land taxes or seizure of private property, then yes, of course many will sell up and leave

Sell to whom?

smile

We have a contingency plan for deal and for no deal. Europe or the US. Some companies will just up sticks and transfer their offices too, and their employees can move with them. The people who make the most money/pay the most tax will be able to pay their way into other countries.

I don't imagine the property market would be at all buoyant with Momentum running the country so selling up not an option!

@smilethoyourheartisbreaking an awful lot of these parents have at least one eu passport in the family (or alternatively an us/canadian/ australian/... passport. and lesve to remain in the uk). While brexit is highly annoying and completely unnecessary for them, it is not a serious problem. as usual, it hits the less fortunate ones hardest

an awful lot of these parents have at least one eu passport in the family (or alternatively an us/canadian/ australian/... passport. and lesve to remain in the uk). While brexit is highly annoying and completely unnecessary for them, it is not a serious problem. as usual, it hits the less fortunate ones hardest

How do you know this?? I certainly don't have another passport in the family and nor do most people i know i think!

I can't speak to the demographics of specifically private school parents, but the number of British citizens who are potentially entitled to the citizenship of another EU country is well into the millions. There are estimated to be something like 6 million people in the UK with an Irish born grandparent, for example. That usually means you can get Irish citizenship. And you only need one parent in the family to have that in order for the other partner and kids to be able to go too. I wouldn't be particularly shocked if the number of British citizens who could live elsewhere using FOM topped 10 million.

I’ve attached a comment by the head of one if the schools my DC go to.

To add to this, state school options in this area of London (Zone 2) are so oversubscribed that pupils are regularly offered places out into Middlesex! Unless you are Catholic of course.

At present, 20% at this school are on bursary places.

Presumably the 1000 plus that attend this school and have gone through a highly competitive exam and interview process to get a place there, will not be dragged from their desks? So what will happen? Is JC offering to pay the £8k a term fees (a proportion of which goes into the bursary fund) out of taxpayers money? Plus all the teachers salaries? It makes no sense.

In fact this school was recently awarded the Times Award for Social Mobility, alongside the NHS.

Sell to whom?
That’s a good point Trewser. There’ll be a glut of big houses for sale and no takers.

Exactly, if this Land Value Tax comes in, ie 3% of a property's value to pay annually, then you won't be able to sell your house because no other idiot will have (on a £500k house) £15K a year spare to pay. So people will be stuck in their houses having to pay and having to hand the house to the council in part payment, or if a sale is forced (death/bankruptcy) then the prices will plummet.

A lot of money has already gone offshore in preparation for NoDeal and / or a JC govt. Italy has a tax relief scheme that many are able to take advantage of. Certainly, in the London independent schools, there is a high proportion of Europeans, Americans, Russians or others with dual nationalities who will relocate if it makes no sense to be here.

Irma - in many parts of London, £500k will buy you a one bed flat, if you’re lucky! That sounds madness.

I tell you who could easily leave the UK. Teachers. Every time I go on LinkedIn my inbox is full of tempting sounding offers from educational headhunters in the Middle East and China. Now as it happens, I have no desire to relocate, but the UK teaching profession is the youngest in the world whereas I was a career changer so I'm knocking on 50.

As noble has said repeatedly on this thread, the teacher shortage is one of the main issues and politicians of whatever stripe absolutely need to know why that is. It's a general shortage, too - it affects the whole sector (I know there are a few exceptions in the places with lower house prices).

@IrmaFayLear

You're making that up.

But it's irrelevant to the thread.

@IrmaFayLear

Why do people believe everything they read in the Mail or Express?

Any land tax would be (mean) 0.85% with industrial at 3%.

With such blind acceptance of anything posted on FB or in a 'paper, it is no wonder we are arguing about PS's as if their demise was happening this sunday.

So Comrade Corbyn's plans for VAT etc will lead to much higher fees.

What is most likely

1. All the schools just shut,and we have the "level educational paradise he wants?

2. The fees can only be afforded by the very richest. So all the parents currently struggling to pay will take their children out, and the schools will be even more elitist.

My kids attend an Independent, which allows the local community to use a lot of it's facilities, and "lends" out specialist teachers for art, music etc. They will stop that on day one, and charge for everything they can. If they're going to be treated as a business, they will be one.

Suited - your post is an accurate and succinct prediction of what will happen to private schools under Corbyn.
And I don’t think state schools will suddenly show magical improvement.
Quite a few public schools have opened satellite schools abroad which presumably would be beyond Corbyn’s reach, and as a pp mentioned, a lot of teachers might relocate to those.

If I can not pay the fees. Guess what my child can not attend. Pure transaction. No charity there

No charity for YOU. Presumably you do not qualify for a bursary.

If your school doesn't offer means tested bursaries it would be hard to claim charity status, yes.

So, in conclusion. Private schools promote inequality, but banning them is not the solution.

Gavel!