School fees have risen by 19% in the space of 12 months

[Findingfactsaboutfees]

AIBU to think this is outrageous ?! Fees are exorbitant anyhow and in the last 12 months we have had an increase of 19% by way of 2 increases in a 12 month period. Fees per year for the senior school are £16690 per year and do not include state of the art facilities as other local schools do. The junior school fees aren't much less either! This is a school in the north of England. If you are paying for education, where are you based and how much do you pay? I wonder whether it is comparable.

Private education will only be for the ultra-rich if fees continue to rise at the rate that they are. It is unsustainable for most working professionals who are comfortable but not ultra-wealthy! Parents locally have tried to take their children out but can't as there are no state school places to be had within a 12 mile radius. The only other option is home schooling which isn't possible when the parents are working full time. We're not yet at the point where we are thinking of taking our child out of school but hearing the plight of those who are in the process of trying to is worrying. I've always been a labour voter but if they do go ahead with the introduction of VAT, I fear it's going to get even worse.

Private education will only be for the ultra-rich

And this matters because???
Why does it matter?

It would be at the low end for fees around here and as you say to move to state they only have to provide a place not the exact place you want. If it is 12 miles away though they would need to pay to transport your child. Alternatively if you want to move yoh could keep asking the schools you want to go on a list for in year moves and potentially would need to pay fees for a term that you don't use.

The lack of local state place is the risk you took when choosing private school. When we did this we always ensured we had enough to fund 2 years ahead at all times.

Private education will only be for the ultra-rich

Good.

Well I'm sure the teachers want pay rises!

I pray for the day it all crashes. It should be for no one.

Fair access protocol means that a LA will have to source a school place for a child who needs it and hasn’t had a school place for 4 weeks https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1012993/FAP_Guidance.pdf

My heart bleeds

Welcome to capitalism, with its ever increasing inequality, OP.

Well, it's the price to have to pay for private education.

Private education will only be for the ultra rich

...and so are Rolls Royces. Thank God there's a state education system to fall back on eh?

Who told you they were capped?

This, and then next step to be banned.

Private school is inherently unfair so 🤷🏼‍♀️ not a surprise

That’s a huge increase OP, no wonder you’re concerned, especially with the lack of state school places should you wish to go down that road instead.

These things are all relative and everyone lives a different life. We all have a right to have a moan about stuff. No one should be made to feel guilty for having a higher income.

There's a whole cohort of people who aren't ultra-rich but rely on private schooling to be able to provide their children with the additional support that they can't for whatever reason. I know for us, we started with a private education as I was studying and felt guilty for spending time away from my child. Knowing the school had a ratio of 1:2 in the nursery and a maximum of 8 children in total made me feel less guilty about it. The fees were comparable to a typical nursery. After this we thought it was worthwhile and moved to a school with better facilities than the first. Not the best in the region but a traditional school with a good reputation. The school has a large proportion of children of hospital doctors and nurses - I'd say they are middle income and make sacrifices to invest in their children's education. They work long hours so likely can't support with education in the way they would if they were at home with the children or worked ordinary office hours.

It’s already for the ultra-rich around here OP - £25-40k per year. There is no way a normal professional family can send their kids private, unless the grandparents are paying.

Considering gas, electric, mortgages, food etc etc have all gone up by at least 20%, it’s hardly surprising. Private schools are essentially a business, and are not immune to costs spiralling.

What’s being unreasonable? If you want the best for your child, surely you just need to prioritise? Drive old cars, caravan holidays, old clothes?

(My kids are at state schools and I can’t stand those in private schools moaning about fee increases).

Read the room. You won't get sympathy here. Honestly though move to state. Save yourself thousands

You are contradicting yourself there. How on Earth can hospital nurses afford private school fees even if they are only £14k per kid per year?

So basically you’ve absolutely no particular ‘whatever reason’ to send your kid to a private school, you just liked it. So would everyone there’s literally nothing outrageous in the fact that you can’t buy massively expensive luxuries if you can’t afford them.

Its a big rise. Lots of costs have risen for schools such as energy, food, contracts etc.

Is the school playing catch up after not raising in covid or potentially getting ahead thinking vat might be charged so runnjng a series of slightly high rises so when the 20% comes, they can absorb some of it.

£17k p.a? Where is this? Ours are £26k and we aren’t even in the S.E.

This is like complaining that luxury cars have gone up by 19% is a year. …so? Is the only answer.
Its already a luxury lifestyle choice. No one needs to private educate as much as you will convince yourself you need to.

I'd move to a non fee paying school if you can't afford it. Put the money spent into a savings account for their future needs