To think that those private school parents banging on about their fees

[Thegreatergoodgerald]

Seriously have misjudged how little anyone else gives a stuff??? NHS, social care, state education, public transport, bloody potholes everywhere - that’s what matters to everyone I know.
Not whether or not VAT is added to a business.

YANBU - it’s hardly the end of the world if Clemmie or Charles end up going to a state school. We have bigger things to worry about in the U.K. right now

YABU - of course everyone cares private school parents might have to pay more

Bahahahhaa! None of my teacher friends would ever, ever go back to state! They would find a different job!

Utter bollocks-only physiatrists can diagnose SEN.

Utter bollocks. What is a physiatrist?!

If you mean a psychiatrist, then, of course they aren’t the only people who can diagnose SEN.

Some teachers will not want to work in state schools, but many move between sectors throughout their careers.

Many state schools have better pay and conditions than private schools. We are certainly carrying many vacancies - roles we can fund but can't get applicants for- this is the same throughout the state and private sectors.

Any private school closing will release both pupils and staff- but in a much higher staff to pupil ratio than in the state sector - so state schools will benefit from that.

Yes that pp sounded a bit idealistic and unrealistic

Just to let you know that I clicked the wrong button. You put your options the wrong way around. I actually vote that YABU.

I don’t have kids in any school now, but it doesn’t take a genius to work out that the parents who were sending their children to private, will move closer to the best state schools instead, taking up more of those places.

My son went to a very very good state school. We didn’t live in catchment, I couldn’t afford to, but he was lucky enough to get a place. We celebrated the day we heard, like we’d won the lottery. Years later he left with something like 7A* and 5A at GCSE, like we knew he would.

Under these proposals, this would be much less likely to be able to happen, so the people missing out will always be the poorest.

This is not something worth celebrating, trust me.

That is up to them, many teachers, as I said, move between the tow sectors throughout their careers. I have worked in both state and private, as have many of my colleagues - I prefer state, the pay and conditions are better. (Also the maximum class size is smaller)

My eldest is at a small independent primary. We aren't hugely wealthy - DH and I are both teachers. Yes, the VAT increase is a big deal to us. We will be sad if a have to withdraw her - we chose to make sacrifices as she has hearing issues, ADD and ASD so we really felt small classes would make a difference to get. We haven't had a holiday in 7 years, we don't have takeaways, or New clothes except for those we wear at work.

Do I expect sympathy? No. If you don't know me, why would you care? Am I worried? Yes. Surely any parent worries about changes that will negatively impact their children.

Really just making private schools even more elitist than it already is....

Yep. It’ll widen the gap further.

Exactly. All it will do is remove the opportunities which were previously available because they will be taken by those with the money and resources to buy property in the right locations (assuming they don’t live there already).

There may be some movement of teachers into the state sector, but you can bet they won’t be going poorly performing schools. They will pick the best or move abroad to teach in private schools there. The idea that this move will result in a positive outcome for state education in general is optimistic at best.

That is ridiculous and completely incorrect. An SEN label can be applied for all sorts of things. You can get extra time in exams just for reading slowly which some schools then class as SEN. Children on IEPs have rarely seen a psychiatrist. Why on earth would they? Kids needing extra help with spelling,maths, reading… often don’t have a diagnosis of anything and will be classed as SEN. Even conditions like autism , dyslexia, S&L & adhd don’t need a psychiatrist for a diagnosis.SEN will be at a higher level in the state sector as there is more poverty and parents’ levels of education are likely to be lower. Hereditary SENs will cause generations of low income too.

Many Trusts are struggling financially, they may have to change their pay and conditions, especially leaving the Burgundy book

Quite. Sort out behaviour in state schools and more of us would happily use them.

ADHD requires a psychiatrist to diagnose.

It doesn't matter if they throw money at tutoring for grammar schools. Tutoring beyond about an hour a week doesn't make much difference so they won't have an advantage over state school pupils. They can't squeeze out people who already live close to good state schools either. It won't be a bad thing for state schools if pupils who would normally have gone to private schools go there.

let us be clear, this is a political decision not an economic one. In terms of economics it really doesn’t stack up.

@Notellinganyone absolutely

They’re caring about their own lives.

I doubt they’re looking for sympathy from state school parents
This

You will be moaning when thousands of children from private need spaces finding for them in state schools and send them under.

I meant a wider impact across the board/state schools. Obviously it may affect a few individuals currently paying fees but not that many if the polls/research are to be believed. The vast majority are not intending to withdraw their children should this come in. That's because they know they can afford it.

If a family can afford to pay fees for 3 children then they are clearly wealthy. I would struggle to have any sympathy for them being asked to contribute a bit more given their obvious privilege.

Or are waiting 3 years for an assessment, which is the current length of waitlists in my area…

So you've just explained why you've not chosen to send your child to private school. That's fine, and quite logical, I haven't chosen private school for my own child for similar reasons. However, it doesn't alter my point. Some parents, for whatever reason, make the choice to send their child to private school and sacrifice the other things you mention. Often simply because their child is not coping in mainstream education and they feel they have no options. They are not fabulously wealthy, they are often choosing to live a very frugal lifestyle in order to afford it. Whether you, or I, think that's the correct choice for them is neither here nor there.

Incorrect, my NHS diagnosis was not done by a psychiatrist.

“Assessment
You or your child may be referred to 1 of the following types of specialist for a formal assessment:

• a specialist child or adult psychiatrist
• a paediatrician – a specialist in children's health
• an appropriately qualified healthcare professional with training and expertise in the diagnosis of ADHD”

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/diagnosis/

Dealing with all sorts of people is a life skill, the behaviour segregation doesn’t teach private schools kids how to handle unpredictable people.

There’s a lot of parents who’ve scrimped to put their child in private education because the state hasn’t provided for them adequately. Those children will have their lives turned upside down if they cannot continue.

there’s a much bigger picture to all of it.

I absolutely agree with you op

i have lived in the bubble of private school parents and many are completely out of touch with the reality of the vast majority of the population and sadly many don’t even want to try and understand