To think taxing private schools...

[maddening]

I have no skin in the game, my dc is at a secondary state school. I have no strong views on private schools - although I think state should offer the same level for all dc.

However, looking at the maths I am not convinced the cost and benefits of this proposal works out - apparently vat will bring in 1.3 billion - however if the 554,000 children in private schools had to be schooled in state schools that would cost 4 billion - aibu to think this is not the win that many are led to believe? It is more divisive imo and driven by ideology.

If the private school parents are saving the state 4 billion a year then I don't have an issue with the vat personally.

I think that there could be more requirements placed on private schools in order to retain the vat free status, such as sharing facilities with local state schools and more subsidised places perhaps, or means tested vat relief for parents?

@LanternL1ght5
Theoretically anyone who can afford nursery fees or to have a SAHP can afford private school. Or someone who could earn £60k full time but who works part-time for £36k. They might not feel it is worth it of course (unless their child becomes very unhappy in the state sector or has needs which can’t be met there). A huge factor in private school being affordable is having only one child - I know people who have stopped at one child specifically for this reason. Or having older parents who have had more time to build up wealth or inherited.

Of course many people could never afford it whatever they did but quite a high percentage of parents could if they made choices to prioritise it. And people dip in and out of the sector so they aren’t necessarily paying fees for 14 years.

No state money absolutely should not be spent on private. ALL state kids need equality not a token few. It’s not many postcodes either. It needs to be seriously looked at and sorted. Measures could be put in place so the same percentage of state kids that apply to unis get the same percentage of places, if they get the grades, which they do.

A joint salary of 45K is only just above minimum wage

Bullshit, you pay nursery for at most 4 years not 14 and nursery is subsidised by the government .

As to your point, pupils from many state postcode schools are given additional UCAS points towards uni.

That’s really not how contextual offers work.

That's the whole point, by using private schools we are relieving the burden on the state. If we leave the private sector then the state will have to pay for DDs education whereas now we do.

It’s not many either.

It’s not bullshit and it’s one of the reasons I sent my DC to private school in the first place. It was actually cheaper than the day nursery I sent them to and still is.

You have very strong view on private education without seemingly knowing much about it

It is bullshit. Nurseries at most 4 years and subsidised. The 2 are not comparable hence very few people being able to afford private. And more will be joining the ranks, you included. So contextualised offers needs to be extended. Keep the low income postcode system but also have one for all state pupils too. So those with poor postcodes get double the help and the rest of state pupils have just the one contextualised offer.

You have a very strong view of state without knowing much about by it.

I pay more for nursery than I will for prep school even with the subsidy. Plenty of people only do private school for part of their child’s education, often secondary. You’ve had more time to build up the funds by then and might be further advanced in your career than at nursery stage.

Well you won’t mind paying a bit of VAT then seeing as it’s so easy.

I was state educated, DD went to state for primary and 2 best friends are state teachers in 'outstanding" schools who both send their DC private, as does next door neighbour who os HoD in an 'good' school. I also work in the education sector, hence why we chose private.

As I said you know very little. Having friends and a neighbour means nothing.

So apart from the fact that I work in education (government funded education) what exact qualifications do you deem it necessary to have in order to understand the state sector?
I could turn that back on you and say that unless you are working in the private sector you aren't qualified to understand it.

I didn’t get any free nursery hours as I moved my DC at three years old to private school. I was used to paying more than half my income out on nursery fees so carried on. There are plenty of private school parents like me. Yes, some are rich, but not all.

By the way I’m already in the state school ranks as that’s where my oldest DC is educated. My youngest will be staying in private school because that’s what suits him best.

@LanternL1ght5

It is bullshit. Nurseries at most 4 years and subsidised.

But it’s not bullshit. My sons’ nursery cost more than their school fees do. It was one of the reasons I decided to send them to private school. Their nursery wasn’t subsidised either. And I paid nursery fees for a lot longer than 4 years!

I also seen you a few pages back saying that it is only wealthy people who send their children to private school and shouting “bullshit” when people challenged you on that. I can also confirm that it is not only wealthy families who send their children to private school. I know, because I am a private school parent.

Why are you unable to listen to what people are telling you?

Because it doesn't fit their narrative

Private healthcare paid by an employer for example, is a taxable benefit. My company pays £1000 to AXA, and I get taxed on that £1000 as if it was income.

Vat on 20k a year is 4k per child. That can be made up, in many cases, by reducing spend on other things — eg cars. So by charging vat on one thing you’re losing it on another.

I think you need to be more specific about your job.. Either way your attitudes to state education are appalling.

Why do I need to be more specific? You haven't answered me about your lack of knowledge on the private sector.

Your attitudes towards private education are appalling.

I live in a part of the country where funding per pupil is low, outcomes are low as are aspirations. I make no apologies for doing the best for my daughter. We are comfortable, not wealthy, and only have 1 DC. 20% VAT is the tipping point for us and many families in private school are in the same boat.

So most of these threads are all about parents; how hard they work, how much they earn, where they live, what they pay.
But kids have no say in who they are born to.
It's absolutely a question of ethics. As a society we should be raising the bar for everyone's children not just our own.

Of course richer people can have " nicer things" for them and their children. There's no reason why buying these things shouldn't incur the normal costs. VAT is a normal tax. It's only exempt on things that ultimately benefit the less well off. School is not one.

Because the vast majority of middle income families absolutely can not afford private education for the reasons in the article above hence the numbers dropping. 😂

I’m guessing you’re lot going to listen to that.