To think only the super rich will be able to afford private schools?

[donniedarko89]

I live in a fairly affluent area, full of private schools. We are comfortable, not wealthy, and considered private for secondary eventually (and who knows, with the cost of living crisis), while enriching the state primary's offer with lots of extra clubs and activities. Noticing that more and more families are doing the same, even high-earners who would in the past have gone private by default. Are private schools going to become only for the ultra rich, especially if the fees spike up with a Labour government?

I only looked at the criteria for the course my son wants to do at a range of universities and they varied a lot or they didnt exist.

All i really meant was it would be daft to make decisions such as which house should I live in, which school should I pick, shall i ask for my child to go to foster care, based on the fact your child might get a contextual offer because the criteria are not fixed or universal.

My heart bleeds for those poor private kids who may have to leave to go to state school. How will they ever cope.

That's the thing - all those posting 'I had no choice but to send my child to private school due to SEN/crap local school/etc', yes, you did have a choice. Some people's children struggle with state schools or have to go to the worst state schools because their parents literally have no choice because there is NO MONEY. Even if they cancel holidays, never eat out, don't drive, sell the carpets, there is still NO MONEY.

Yes, I had a choice and I consider myself very lucky to not have to send my DC to a State school that even teachers who worked there advised me to avoid.

Oh it will be fine. They'll just move to the catchment area of a top school and pay for tutoring and somehow people who hate private schools will be ok with this

If ‘top’ private schools confer no advantage re: ‘top’ university entrance, and maybe even ‘disadvantage’, they’ll exist increasingly as a ‘brand’ name for internationals. (Elite boarding).

I see London families increasingly ‘gaming’ system, good, central comp, then fluency in other languages/bespoke arts/cultural mentoring & precision tutoring on side. Result, ‘Down to earth’ kids with a serious ‘edge’…

In what way is that gaming the system @Peverellshire ? What system are you even talking about?

@DisquietintheRanks contextual offers at some schools, staying within ‘rules’ for a smooth passage to end goals & not making that difficult. Eg, if French is practically native, do it for A’level even though deathly dull for you. Bandwidth then focused on super curricula, poss in an ‘easier’ although well regarded A level subject. I’ve noticed those focused on Ivys seem to do this.

"To think only the super rich will be able to afford private schools?"

Good.

Why?
It will hardly help with inequality will it?

It's meant to be exclusive. They're not meant to let any person in.

Why should private schools help with inequality. They're a luxury good. Should Chanel be making sure supermarket workers are rocking their bags.

Exactly. And they should be taxed as such.

I mean how will it help with equality if ONLY the super rich can afford them?
I know you have to be pretty well off to afford Private schooling but we aren’t all Oligarch/Banker wealthy

I agree with you.

Do you want to pay for private school that is a lot cheaper but everyone is allowed in and it looks like the local comprehensive ? If that's the case it's not even worth £5 a year. Equality is a nice concept but unrealistic unless you live in a communist country and most of the time not even then.

My DCs Private school costs £12k per year, yes a lot of people can’t afford it but it’s not just the Super Rich who can. The Parents of my DCs friends are generally professionals such as Accountants, Doctors, lawyers, senior management etc where BOTH parents have good jobs.
It is nothing like the local failing comp though. People seem to think that all Private schools are like Eton, many many are not

In principle I agree with this. Private school for the majority is a luxury and should be taxed as such.

It would be possible to set up a tax scheme whereby fees are taxed normally but exemptions apply for non luxury private school pupils (eg SEN pupils where no suitable state alternative is available).

I thinl they should just get more resources at state schools if they cannot afford to From the perspective of the other parents they have paid lots of money not so their kid's classroom can be filled with SEN kids who might slow their learning down. This is one of the reasons why we are only applying to selective private schools for our daughter where this won't be an issue.

...if they can't afford to pay the extra tax **

Exactly yet so many people don't see this as an inequality like private schools are. They are no different still spending lots of money but choosing a different method. Still not available for the masses

100% this. I have also seen families taking DC out of private school for A-Levels so that they can have a competitive advantage to get into top Unis.

100% this. I have also seen families taking DC out of private school for A-Levels so that they can have a competitive advantage to get into top Unis.

They are hugely misguided.

I've worked in student recruitment and widening participation, and had plenty of contact with admissions.

Universities can see what schools applicants went to from 11 onwards, so they're not fooling anyone.

Grades are typically higher in private sixth forms; those higher grades will be the most important part of their application.

UCAS advice is often better in private sixth forms; having visited more schools than I care to remember in both sectors, there often is a huge difference. Some of the most fulfilling memories I have from my time in the sector were filling in the gaps in the advice they'd received; I'll always remember the girl who told me she was torn between a degree in MFL and a journalism career; no one had told her that an MFL degree could be great preparation for a journalism career. The look on her face was priceless. I digress, however...

WP schemes have much wider criteria than going to a state school. Often they look at free school meals, having been in care, caring responsibilities, being at an underperforming school, parents didn't go to university etc. Indeed it's possible in some circumstances to attend a private school and get onto a WP scheme such as https://www.leeds.ac.uk/access-to-leeds/doc/am-i-eligible

It is unusual for the deciding factor between two applicants to be the school they attended.

If I were short on funds but trying to maximise university entrance chances for my DC, I'd send them to a good state school for GCSEs and private school for A Levels. Sixth form does seem to be where you get more bang for your buck in that regard.

@SamShortForSambuca I agree

Having had all 3 DCs go through a failing school I would say that it is at the break points - choosing GCSEs, choosing post GCSE options, choosing A levels, applying to university - that the school really struggled.

In the sixth form there was a lack of really good teaching across the board. Only maths had a pair of totally committed and inspirational teachers.

The 6th form target was CCC and the local University. Anything beyond this was unsupported which did lead to a lot of imposter syndrome and stunted ambition (I saw a lot of this in DCs' friends).

If your DC is a good student (able and committed) then GCSEs will likely take care of themselves. It's at A level and preparing for what comes next that you want the best teaching and the best advice.

We may as well have the vat then, to support the state sector for the benefit of all.

Also, this thing about switching to state sixth form for 'advantage' is urban myth. Private schools are still massively over-represented in university places.