Not to send my children to private school even though I can afford it

[AdamRyan]

I believe in comprehensive education and think children should all be educated together, to improve social mobility and prevent a "brain drain" where less privileged children go to some schools, and more privileged go to others.
Am I in the minority and being naive?

YANBU - comprehensive schools are the way to go
YABU - I'd send my children private if I could

There is confusion every time Labour and private schools are discussed on here. Charitable status and removing the VAT exemption on provision of education are separate issues, although they are often conflated by politicians and journalists. I am no expert but I understand it is much easier to remove the VAT exemption than to remove charitable status.

I don’t think they will do it because the resulting exodus would put huge pressure on the state sector. Or if they do, it won’t be 20% or whatever because it would cause mayhem. Implementing tax changes will have an immediate impact yet even with the best of intentions the state school system will not have time to be improved.

plus half the labour MPs probably have kids in private schools anyway.

It really is poorly thought out. Good vote grabber though.

I think they may remove vat exemption but they won't remove the charitable status

Yes like Brexit

If you are referring to me, then where I have stated that. You seem to want to assign this commie label to me presumably due to your upbringing that has understandably being influenced by your parents' cultural background but having a social conscience does not a Commie make!

Well, this is totally your subjective opinion of course and there's not really a finite definition of "Well rounded", but if you mean you like them more then that's fine. Why doing one particular type of exam for 18 months would make someone more "Well rounded" is hard to understand. The IB is very time intensive, and students who do it are unlikely to have time for outside interests or jobs which is why our school dropped it.

Ffs. I haven’t called you a commie, and nor do I think you are one. I asked that if communist countries, that specifically aimed to wipe out social disparity instead perpetuated it, then why do you think it is in fact achievable by lesser means? That isn’t calling you a Communist.

Where have you said that? That is what ejecting the private sector from education means, is it not?

Discussions of the removal of the charitable status remind me of Brexit as like with Brexit the figures don't add up and like with Brexit it is a Daily Mail campaign!

Labour would probably remove tax exemption rather than charity status and is legally easier to do. VAT on fees would bring in billions, I'm unsure why those in privileged position need to get even more tax breaks.

Billions?

Like the 350k a week for the NHS?

Education up to 18 is about children that haven't exercised life choices, you cbat blame children for the actions/inactions their parents take so wondering how we reduce the gap between wealthy kids and poor kids is a perfectly ethical and non commie line of thinking.

Yes about 1.5 billion if charging it to parents.

re the charity commission: I linked to the actual tribunal judgement. Feel free to read.

and in regards to the VAT fees, the figures don’t add up there either. What labour has proposed may in fact bring in zero revenue, and instead cost them hundreds of millions:
https://www.taxpolicy.org.uk/2023/06/07/privateschools/

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-true-cost-of-labours-war-on-private-schools/

https://www.isc.co.uk/media/5926/isc-vat-full-report-1018-for-circulation.pdf

And how much of that will go towards educating the percentage of private school kids that end up in the state system if their schools close or parents can't afford the fees?

Yep. The trouble is even if it is pants they’ll still do it. Depressing

It's all so dumb. People must be desperately chippy to fall for it.

Sadly being desperately chippy is becoming an overriding factor

Yes, people being resentful of other people seems to be the guiding principle in politics these days. Refugees, kids at private schools, old people who own a house.

😆did you just lump in the status of refugees with children who attend private school and homeowners- is that satire?

Totally; it's my opinion. But, I see 1000s of students coming to University each year, and by 'well rounded', I mean they're better prepared for independent study at an HE level. They are also - overall - better prepared for self-management, financial challenges, looking after themselves, etc.

This is my experience across three quite different Universities over the last 10 years (a post-92, a red brick, and an ancient). I generally deal with students coming onto professionally qualifying programmes (nursing, teaching, social work, other allied health professions), where a bit of practicality, and managing juggling competing priorities.

Many young people coming straight from the hot-housed Private Schools really struggle, because their lives have been so regimented, and focussed on academic achievement (sometimes spoon fed), and are actually the group who often need more support.

We have services to support all types of student, and there's no shame at all in accessing it. I'm not judging any group, but given the question from the OP, my view is that State School kids, who do the IB, are best prepared at HE level.

I don't believe any of this.

Do you honestly think the Independent Schools Council (ISC) report is offering a balanced view on this?

That report is produced by Baines Cutler a business that provides financial advice to private schools! They asked 21 schools how much VAT they would pass on to parents, took parents income, totally ignored other financial help for fees i e from grandparents and claimed many parents would no longer be able to afford the fees. They state 26500 pupils would stop going to private schools even if they could afford it but don't publish the process to getting that figure. Even with all this taken in to account it would produce anet revenue boost that could fund the poorest children in society who have everything stacked against them by stint of birth what civilised country would not want that?

There must be a handful of state schools offering the IB and I'd expect almost all of them to be grammar schools - grammar schools are great if you like that sort of thing but what they do not produce necessarily is well rounded kids as they are often academic hot houses.

... and that's entirely your right not to believe any of it.

I know what I experience on a daily basis. I've been doing this a long time.

I'd imagine they factor in schools closing.

The money will then have to go towards supporting some of the wealthiest kids in society when they go to the local state. After all, if its all so fair then they'll deserve just as much funding.