Reconsidering private education/labour gov

[Bluevelvetcake2]

As it looks increasingly likely that we will have a Labour government at some point, I’m wondering if anyone who was considering private education for their children is now re-considering it? We have put down a deposit for a prep school we really like which we could comfortably afford at the moment but not with significant fee increases. Just wondering if anyone else has concerns along the same lines and if so what are you thinking…

I don't think they can put that much additional money into it. Where is the money going to come from? The current lot borrowed money like it was going out of fashion.

Boo fucking hoo. They shouldn’t have charity status. How is a school for the most privileged a charity?

It won’t make that much difference after state has to take extra students. Currently some people are paying twice and they don’t take the space although pay the taxes

I think even if Labour did introduce it early it would be set to come in at a later date, they will have civil servants telling them the stuff people are saying here about how many extra kids they may have to accommodate in the state sector.

It's a good idea though, private education (except for children with disabilities / other different cases e.g. parents in the forces who may genuinely have no alternative ) is the definition of a luxury.

We pay VAT on loads of things we actually need. Of course it should be paid on something for which there is a completely valid mainstream alternative used by more than 90% of the country.

If money is remotely tight, do not do it. This government has screwed the economy so badly that all bills are going up. Schools will need to do the same, just to keep the heating on and staff being paid. Costs everywhere are rocketing. If you are seriously rich you'll be fine, if not I wouldn't take the risk.

@PodgePie totally agree and that's what happens in the States. Middle class state schools where parents can afford to give large amounts in donations.

What you don't have is all schools levelling up.

It already happens to a certain extent. Houses in catchment areas for certain schools round here are 100K more then houses only a few streets away.

It's a vote winner though.

Although raises questions about nurseries, universities, after school clubs and activities.

Also private healthcare? Same arguments really.

I’ve got one in year 13 (independent year 7 onwards). Unless I was rich enough to absorb big rises I wouldn’t proceed at the moment. Fees went up 7% this year alone and another 20% added to that, is significant. I’m not sure how charities can have this 20% added and still exist as charities. Dissolving the charity is eye wateringly complex. So it might take some time to implement. If it’s just slapped onto the school, then the school may absorb the cost by stopping bursaries.

This. Clearly.

This is a clear example of the left tearing themselves apart over each issue. I have children in the private sector, one of whom is there because the state sector couldn't cater for him. I will still vote Labour and have some faith that the issue will be dealt with by someone with more brains than a radish. The tories unite over their greed. It's their single purpose. It means they are more cohesive. The left fall out over every single issue that doesn't go their way. It makes them easy to divide. I don't like Labour stance on women. I don't like their thoughts on private schools. BUT bugger all has been said about how they plan to deal with either issue. And I refuse to vote the safe Tory option because I disagree with some of what Labour has said in the past.

What @EuripidesEumenides said.
I agree. The schools, NHS and economy are in such a mess, Removing charitable status from private schools will be a way down on the list of priorities.
FWIW...find a good local primary school and save your private school money until they go to senior school.

They could remove the vat exemption for private schools, that would hurt.

Buying a house in the catchment area is different because you will sell for a high price when you move on so not really a cost as such.

I'd pay more on school fees if it went directly to state education but of course that's never going to happen, pie in the sky. Whoever is in power its always playing catchup and as parents we don't have enough years in our DC education for the Sisyphean task of pushing for real change.

Fee paying parents who are teachers, plumbers, HCP's, etc would be the first to be priced out so it would make the independent system even more elite, not less which is not a good thing.

If parents are choosing independent school its because our state system doesn't work for them or for their DC for whatever reason, take independent schools away and the state system still doesn't work for them. Turning them into academies doesn't solve that difference.

I'd like to see the state school system completely overhauled. Short school days were fine 50 years ago when I started school, many mothers were SAHM and my working mum was in the minority but society is no longer like that, most adult women work, couples work. The state needs to catch up and support a society in which both parents work with better/cheaper childcare and eg 8am to 5pm school days. Then people who don’t work because of having DC would be able to, hopefully in turn reducing the burden on the state benefits system. Rather than wasting a fortune on the legalities of dissolving charities and buying out independent school premises spend money on bringing state teachers salaries in line with independents and invest in improving and expanding facilities to allow for smaller class sizes. If the state schools were run more like independents, with more time in the day for broader sports, arts and interest clubs (and higher expectations of behaviour in some cases), there wouldn't be a demand for independent schools. I'm talking crap I know.

However, much as Labour like to say they are going to do this, so many of the MP's have their kids within these systems that whilst they might talk the talk I think its highly unlikely they will walk the walk.

mummymeister do you mean many Labour MPs have children at private schools?

Housing, firefighting, there are loads. You can argue that in housing, competition and commodification has caused countless deaths and extremely poor outcomes. That bastion of capitalism, Singapore, has government built, affordable housing for almost everyone.

The market does not make everything better.

I have two at private school. The day that Labour get in, I will prepay the rest of DC’s fees up front, if they are already paid up, they won’t attract VAT. If I was head of a private school, I’d be looking at a scheme to lend parents cash up front to prepay fees, then have them make ‘loan repayments’ on a monthly basis.

Having said that there was a legal case back in 2006 where private schools challenged a change in legislation by the Charities Commission, it dragged on until 2011, when it went in the private schools favour. The ISC have already said they will challenge any removal of charity status/VAT and I can imagine it would drag on for years (and cost a fortune in legal fees).

You’d hope so. Although this policy hits the how dare they have that vote. It’s pointless though as state sector is already oversubscribed and those people pay twice.

As a teacher, I'd say state education was considerably better funded under the last Labour government... Tories have ravaged school budgets. So local schools, under Labour, would only get better.
I recommend considering state sector primary schools, then private secondary. That's seems to be what lots of wealthy people in nice areas do. Also consider grammar schools - not available everywhere I realise, but where I live near Plymouth for example there are 3.

I will vote Labour if there’s a general election, but yes school fees is something that would really worry me. I used to be ideologically against private education, many years ago, but now have a child who is autistic and massively struggled in her mainstream primary (but was too quiet and well behaved to get any help). She’s just started at a really small, nurturing private secondary and is thriving but we aren’t particularly well off (though I appreciate more than some) - school fees are about 30% of our household income. With 4 years to go, the thought of big fee increases is pretty stressful. I really hope that Labour would want to ensure the state sector is properly funded, and that more specialist provision is created for those who struggle in regular schools, before hammering the private sector. But who knows?

People with enough money to afford private school fees whining about having to pay a bit more (especially if it's VAT) is hilarious

Plus Labour are going to be constrained by same spending and borrowing issues as now. Easier to do a pointless policy like this that gets the voters going than having to find funds.

@Grumpybutfunny ahh of course more hours or perhaps a better paid job, that would solve it. Oh and they should hire a nanny for childcare.

I actually agree targeting the middle to fund the poor is not a good solution however private school is a luxury not a right. But the best thing any government could do is go after the rich tax them more and make sure they pay their taxes correctly. (Not straight forward obviously)

Good. They should. We should have the Finnish model - NO private schools.

What about home schooling? Would you ban that too?
There was genuine concern in then1970s that private schools would be banned and some of them bought land abroad.
Would you ban them from moving their schools abroad?

I'm not sure it's about funding as much as avoiding some pupils.