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.

It is a lot. It means kids settled in a school may have to move to another school because fees have gone up far more than parents have calculated for.

I don't like the private/public school divide but not everyone can rely on public education. My DC go to a state primary (not UK). It's been great. Hell will empty my bank account before I let DC go to the catchment public high school. There's zero SEN support and poor behaviour. DS (ASD) will get bullied or led in the wrong direction. I'm seeing the behaviour come out now in his 10 y/o classmates who will go to this high school. Students just got caught breaking in to houses, in uniform, in their lunch break.

DS is academically bright but struggles with self esteem. A small, private (affordable) high school who offers the support he needs is available & close by. I loathe the thought of paying fees and don't believe private is better, but I'll pay to keep my child safe and thriving - not just trying to make sure they survive.

This is the main issue with state schools

Very large class sizes (30+ kids)
Problematic kids with behavioral problems

And if you happen to be one of the non-problematic kids, you are basically stuck because you are not a paying customer.

So what ends up happening is that the lowest common denominator (not bright kids with behavioral problems) brings the average of the class down. And thats when the brighter kids suffer because their potential is never really developed.

Too many people in the UK seem to think that levelling down the education sector will magically make society better.

It's tragic because the bulk of those folks are just going to end up with a lower quality of life. Same with their kids.

Private schools can charge what they like, it's a business and needs to make a profit. Everything has gone up in price the last year, you can't expect businesses to bear the brunt. If you cant afford it you'll need to change schools.

It’s a bit weird to hear someone moaning to people, many of whom can’t afford/are not interested in private school education, that they can’t afford to pay for private school education.

Haven't read the whole thread, but something I do believe is: if we are going to basically shift towards the idea that it's a state school or nothing for the vast majority of people, we really need to start shifting towards getting rid of the 11 plus system in 11 plus areas - or at least in those areas where grammar schools cream off the top third of kids, like Bucks. I'm not so bothered about areas where grammar schools are super-selectives that take the top 2%. But in places where a lot of kids go to grammar school, an air of failure hangs over the "other" options like a bad smell, and they will not attract or keep good teachers.

I can't imagine anything more stressful than living in an area that does this, and not surprisingly it feeds private school usage at both ends. Parents who don't want to spend their children's primary years fighting with their child about 11 plus paper prep and tutoring, end up putting them in prep schools that prepare for the 11 plus. Parents whose kids miss the 11 plus by a few marks end up paying for private schools because they don't like the look of the secondary moderns, and who can blame them? If I was forced to live in somewhere like Bucks I'd do the same, dammit.

Start phasing out grammar schools (here's an idea for starters: extend catchment and make them super selectives ONLY), then getting rid of private schools will be fairer.

Sorry, I don't mean get rid of. I mean, "tolerating endless fee increases will be fairer." The right to attend a private school should always exist in every country!

At the moment, we have a situation where parents in some areas feel almost hounded into private schools. We should at least start off with a fair situation in the state sector.

@blahblahblah1654 private schools are businesses? I thought they had charitable status?

OP requested info from those who had kids at private schools and paying for their education. See original post.
She didn’t ask for advice from anyone else.
Shes not moaning to anyone else. The thread clearly states that.

Anyone can read it, it’s MN, anyone can comment, it’s MN but don’t blame OP for a post which wasn’t directed towards the uninterested.

@TheThinkingGoblin "Too many people in the UK seem to think that levelling down the education sector will magically make society better."

I have never met anyone, ever, who thinks this!

This 100%. As a single mother who sometimes has to use a food bank to make sure my DC have food to eat, I have absolutely zero sympathy, empathy or any other kind of -thy for people who can afford to send their DC to private schools and then whinge about how much it costs.

Pft - my income isn't even £16,690 pa!

Private schools in this area are around £25,000 pa.

You’re brave coming on here to complain about school fees! Didn’t you know Mumsnet hates private education? Anyone who pays for their child to get a good education is the devil, but if you pay over the odds to buy property to get into the best catchment or suddenly find your faith, that’s ok!

For what it’s worth op, you have my sympathy. That’s a massive rise over a very short period.

They banned private tutoring in China as well. That is another regime that we could follow. We should all trust in the state to do the best for our children. We know that regimes like that mean a happier and better life for all. It panned out so well in the past.

UK average salary is approx. £26,000pa from the ONS

Average household income in 2020/2021 was £31,400pa also according to the ONS

So, with fees of £17,000pa (in your case) or more (for other posters on this thread) already puts private education in the 'luxury' category.

Have those of you saying you 'had to' because of 'feral' children or unmet SEN been active in campaigning for more resources for state schools funded by taxation? If you have, then fair enough. If you haven't, well, no sympathy if your DC can no longer be protected by your luxury lifestyle.

If you have a child who is already at private school and had budgeted for them to spend the whole 5-7 years there, it's very difficult if the fees go up by 19% and risks disrupting a child's life.

I don't have kids in private education (and am all for state education for all) but come on - it's not comparible to a luxury car at all.

Complaining about the cost of private education, as if your DC have the right to it, is the issue.

I would say the same about people complaining about paying a bit extra for a house in the 'right' area (so many people unable to get on the housing ladder at all) or the hassle of going to Church regularly.

It's all about gaming the system for your own child, then turning a blind eye to the systematic destruction of opportunities for those less privileged.

I agree with some of this in principle, but I can still see how a raise in fees would disrupt children's lives and is difficult.

It's a perfectly valid concern if your kid is already in a private school that you could previously afford and now can't. Moving schools is a big upheaval for a child.

They should just bring in increased fees for the new intake.

They should just bring in increased fees for the new intake

Why? Costs of everything have gone up. Why should the new intake cover those extra costs for themselves AND existing pupils? Is it likely that there would even be a new intake when the costs would go up so disproportionately?

Private schools are a business. The customers pay the costs plus some more on top. If the costs of the business rise, the amount they have to charge rises.

Moving schools is a big upheaval. One that many, many children deal with for any number of circumstances.

£20k a year for secondary here. Surrey.

Correction! £22k a year

I work with many doctors and nurses and I bet less than 5% of them have kids in private school. Out of those only one nurse on my ward and that’s cos their dad pays as part of a divorce settlement. Even consultants kids are in state primary

If your state options are so bad, why not research why? If it is lack of leadership in your local Council, think what you need to do to help change that. If it is continually reduced funding for many years (from a government dominated by ex-private school pupils for decades) think what you need to do to help change that.

Personally I’d say it’s already for the ultra rich! My husband and I earn over £100k between us and would in no way be able to afford private school!

But already it's only for the fairly rich.
It's just the goalposts of an unfair system have moved a bit so now some people will have to move from being able to benefit from it to not being able to benefit from it.

Surely if they were always in favour of a system of education that provides advantages to those with sufficient wealth, they won't have a problem with that?

It isn't free. It us paid for by the Taxpayer

The govt needs to step in. It’s getting out of hand.

Who will run the country if no one can go to Eton?

At this rate we’ll be living in a meritocracy within years. Next thing you know we’ll be fixing inequality and improving the lives of millions.

Will someone please think of the rich children.