To think State education is really poor?

[Boswelian]

We sent our eldest to a taster day at a private school. He was agog. His school don't allow playing on the grass when it's wet. The private school change them into waterproofs and wellies for break. PE 3x a week. Sport every day. Dedicated specialist teaching in art, DT, languages, sciences etc. 16 in a class instead of 30. The difference in the quality of life between the two school has really blown my mind. The state school is "outstanding". The private school reckon DS is 2 years behind their curriculum. We've been told in state that he's meeting expectations. How is this remotely acceptable?

Maybe I don't see education as needing tangible monetary returns. Maybe I just want DD to be happy, find her niche and enjoy school.

Bit like the Covid generation.

Oh behaviour too. But that’s what I think Labour are not factoring in. With much at all, not just this.

That's all fine and of course it is a personal choice. I'm only pointing out that if you were considering both options side by side and appraising both financially, the moving one would have been the financial return no-brainer, even before the consideration of VAT.

I think some posters who haven't experienced decent comprehensive education don't understand how it works. At DD's school the pupils were set for English and maths from year 7, so they were always learning with other pupils of similar ability.

I can't imagine how difficult it must be to teach pupils of very different ability in those subjects.

Particularly Maths.

We had sets. That was the only saviour really. But even in the top sets, there was such a high turnover of teachers. Maths we had sets 1-7. Etc

Then in the ones which weren’t set, RE, Art etc - it was chaos. I remember teachers crying etc. :(

My daughters are now at a fantastic Single sex private school, which is the polar opposite of the one I went to. It’s like Mallory Towers (though not boarding) and they love it.

I’d be surprised if a school doesn’t set kids. Impossible to teach otherwise?!

I thought it was the libdem Tory coalition

No.

Labour introduced university tuition fees.

Labour started cancelling grammars.

Labour will introduce tax on education.

Is that you Rishi?

I thought the huge increase in tuition fees was under the Lib Dem/Tory coalition.

Hilarious.... This one is as old as the hills. My (newly minted) parents were told the same when I went for an 'interview/assessment' at the local private school aged around aged 10... Apparently I would need extra input and resources because I was coming forum shitsville state primary. Which was odd because a) it never materialised and b) I was top of the class in most subjects within a term...I then spent years being bored shitless and under challenged... But you know it had a sports hall, did drama and kept me in school till later in the day (which was probably important to my parents). I could weep at the money needlessly spent...My kids go to a 'good state school' and it out performs (results wise) several privates nearby....

You thought wrong

From 2006 fees rose gradually by inflation until 2012 when, under the Coalition Government, tuition fees were raised to £9,000 per year following an independent review of the student finance system by Lord Browne.

commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8151

Sorry, didn't mean to shout.

Labour introduced tuition fees 🙄

They also abolished student grants.

I know that Labour introduced tuition fees, but they didn't increase them to £9,000 and then £9,250.

No. The Labour Party introduced tuition fees in 1998, the year after they came to power. A couple of years after that, they scrapped maintenance grants for poorer students and introduced loans.

The Lib Dems (who had campaigned for the abolition of tuition fees) then went into coalition with the Conservatives and increased the fees even further. The Conservatives have kept the fees fairly level since 2012 and haven’t increased them in line with inflation.

So, for everyone complaining that the Conservatives aren’t funding state education enough (and I’m absolutely not defending the current situation), the Labour Party have a track record of attacking university education, and the Lib Dems went back on their word with regards to fees as well.

The latest VAT idea is just another attack on another area of education.

They’d tripled the fees in 2006 though, 8 years after introducing them. Let’s not pretend that the Labour Party haven’t got a history of attacking education!

With the 98 Act those families who earned over £35,000 a year would be charged the full fees which amounted to £1,000 a year. The maximum fees rose in line with inflation, reaching £1225 in 2007–08.

Under the Tories fees rose to £9,000 a year for the 2012-13 academic year! (Not means tested)

Since the 2023 changes to student loans, students will repay them for 40 years instead of 30 and many will repay double what those who took loans pre 23 did. It's explained here

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2023/05/martin-lewis-good-morning-britain-student-loans/

Thankyou

I don’t have a problem with uni fees and I definitely don’t have a problem with vat on private education either. I do however have a problem with the current Tory finance system.

Would you have a problem with uni fees if Labour add VAT on to them?

They won't. That's just scaremongering. As for the idea that Labour have a history of attacking education. That's just made up by people who are worried about VAT on private education.

An increase to £3000 was announced in 2006 (by the Labour government).

Under the Tories fees rose to £9,000

The Tories didn’t have a majority. They were in coalition with the Lib Dems when this happened.

All 3 of the main parties have played their part in university tuition fees.

I’m very happy with my son’s state school 6th form. He’s flourishing. Classes are around 7 or 8. He’s given responsibility through the house system and enthusiastic and clever teachers.

The fabric of the building isn’t great but it’s in beautiful park setting with sea views. University campus next door, with all the sports facilities you could want.

There aren’t any grammar schools in Wales so it’s truly comprehensive, although many choose to go to college at 16.