it's daft to think parents with kids in private school have money to burn?

[Popgoestheweaselagain]

Just got asked by my school what would be the impact if they had to pay VAT, adding 20% to fees. My response was 'I'd try to keep my child in the school, but ....'. I think almost all parents would respond this way. Alarmed, did a quick google, and found this is Labour policy. Next time they come knocking at my door looking for my vote, I'll be telling them why they can't have it!

Now, I understand why some people are ideologically opposed to private schools, the unfariness etc. But when I hear this argument that goes something like 'Those people must have loads of money because they send their kids to private school' it kind of annoys me. Money is finite. If you've spent all your money on school fees, you obviously don't have it anymore!

Our private school fees, including wrap around are the same cost as if I sent them to the local state school and paid for wrap around care - about £125 per week. Which is why we chose it.

If the school started charging vat we couldn't afford it, so would have to revert to state school and pay the wrap around costs, which I'm assuming either already charge vat or wouldn't do still? Lots of parents at our school are in the same boat, I don't know how the local state schools would cope to be honest, they're already massively over subscribed (32 in the infant classes).

That’s an incredibly cheap private school!!

It is.

But it's not exceptional around here. 4 of the 6 local privates are under £6k a year.

Per child ..so do you rebate people who only have a certain amount of children, don't have children? Home educated children? How about children who need additional support or special schools? Charge them more?

Absolutely ridiculous and not in any way how taxation and the public services sector operates.

I agree with Maybel and that certainly doesn't come from jealousy - as a childfree person I 'have no skin in this game' so to speak. I would just like to see a more equal society.

Next time they come knocking at my door looking for my vote, I'll be telling them why they can't have it!

In view of the horrendous actions of this government in the past week, if VAT on private school fees is the crux of how you cast of your vote, then I can't say I have much sympathy for you.

which horrendous actions? You need to be more specific. The plans to cut tax for the lowest earners? The government contribution towards this winter's heating bills? I think they're planning pretty well, actually.

Thanks GaspO I couldn't be arsed to check. So Klaxon Alert people - Keir Starmer wasn't privately educated he went to a State Grammar.

Getting yer facts right is usually the best basis.

@Plantstrees thanks, can't believe I missed that about the VAT vs corporation tax!

However it looks like labour manifesto is to do both: (the guardian):

Last week, the Labour party voted in favour of new policies that would strip private schools of charitable status, add VAT to fees, restrict their pupils’ access to higher education and redistribute their endowments, investments and properties to the state sector.

HAHAHAHAHA planning pretty well, actually

Yougov latest: only 37% of people who voted Tory in 2019 say they are certain to vote for them again. Labour have a 33% lead.
Tory MPs are currently threatening not to vote for the mini budget bollocks.
Mortgages are going to rise by far more than will be saved with the energy help.
Pensions nearly collapsed.

planning pretty well, actually HAHAHAHAHA

Unless you have been living under a stone for the past week, I would hope that you would be aware of the mini-budget blatantly skewed to benefit the very wealthy when there is a full blown cost of living crisis with families at real risk of hunger, freezing and potential homelessness, all of which has just been made worse by a collapsing pound.

@Ministryofbiscuits I don't think the collapsing pound is a coincidence. Investors think the government has lost the plot.

No, @Aria999, investors and the IMF KNOW that the government has lost the plot.

Keir Starmer wasn't privately educated he went to a State Grammar

So, its not OK to pay for a private school, but it is OK to move to a Grammar area and pay over the odds for property to be in catchment, and then tutor your DC like there is no tomorrow to get them in?

That's what Grammar school parents resort to.

No, grammars are an outdated anachronism, but Starmer was 11 when his parents made that choice. The Labour party has been opposed to grammars for a very long time.

Starmer is very bright. He would have been in the top set of a comprehensive or in a grammar. It would not have impacted his options for University given when he went.

The only thing that will achieve is to push, sharp elbowed middle income people to the best primary and secondary’s available, to do what sharp elbowed people know how to do best, seems like a bit of a own goal (but if that’s what people really want).

And they didn;t move to a grammar area, or tutor him, as far as I am aware - they just happened to have a child when grammars schools existed in their area.

Loving all the "well I'm certainly not going to vote Labour now!" comments, as if those making them were ever going to 🤣

This is a problem that simply won't resonate with the vast majority of people, who are more concerned about mortgage rates, utilities and general cost of living.

It's also worth saying that private does not by any means automatically equate to better. I was privately educated (latterly on a 20% scholarship) at very well-regarded schools and it was, to be frank, a complete waste of my parents' money (and the same went for most of my cohort's parents too). There was a comment upthread about knives and drugs - yep, we had all that and a rampant bullying problem, exacerbated by living in. That school is now charging basic fees which are nudging £40k a year, which is madness.

By contrast with my experience, my eldest went to the local Catholic comp, got all the enrichment anyone could want completely free of charge, and absolutely smashed it with his GCSEs this year, far better results than I managed. That should be the standard, shouldn't it?

Refreshing honesty! Every time I think I can't be bothered to check I make some huge clanger.

Because they will not be a burden on the state system.
What would happen is most parents would find the VAT.
Private education is a luxury.

If it’s a waste of money let more people pay twice

Tax and fees.

Fine lower pressure on state

Surely grammar schools are no more of an outdated anachronism than selective private schools?
A very good state sector for everyone would be a far more progressive education model.

I don’t send my DC to a small local private school because we have loads of excess income, I send them because every local high school is failing and we have some of the worst GCSE results in the country here. One if my DC is dyslexic and got no support in the state system. We are not well off and have to manage. Small private schools will suffer and so will the children forced back in to failing state schools.

VAT is charged on non essentials. Private school is non essential.

For those who said they are against private school because it gives children a bad attitude or causes competition and using Boris as an example are ridiculous. Not all independent schools are like this. They are not all Eton. The 2 I know about are nurturing, holistic and teach values I agree with. I'm a social worker and spend my whole week supporting, advocating and working for those who are less advantaged and struggling. I send my child to private school because state school cannot look after her. If you as parents won't send your children to private school because of your principles I think you are being very short sighted. Have you actually ever looked round a small private school. Even with these beliefs and principles do you not want the best for your child that your money can buy. Its not an attitude I can understand. When so many are struggling it is absolutely a privilege I agree. Id do anything for fairness and equality, that's why I became a social worker, but this VAT will not benefit the most in need, it will line the pockets of the uber elite. Also SEN children who are already disadvantaged will suffer more.

Most posters on MN have never known true inequality. Its easy to sit on your high horse when your children thrive in state school and you live in the catchment of a decent school.