To think that improving state schools needs people to pay an e.g. a state school tax?

[Theyhadsomehoneyandplentyofmoney]

What with the current hoo ha about VAT on private school and commentary about equality and privilege.. wouldn’t it make sense to vastly improve state schools? And in order to do so obviously the government needs more cash.

Isn’t it reasonable therefore to ask anyone using state schools, to pay a bit of tax for that, in order to improve all said schools from their (often) current dire state?

It's not a debate though, it's just a ridiculous thought that came into your head and you decided to start a thread about. You are just pissed that you have to pay more. It doesn't mean that those of us that access state education should have to start paying for something that should be funded by the state.

Oh I know some do. I also know that a lot of Uber wealthy people (not just the mugs in the middle and above) make it their aim to pay as little tax as possible.

Do you float everywhere? (Or don't use roads or pavements). Do you have your own private army and emergency services? Do you have your own satellite for internet? Did you build that rocket and launch it yourself?

Was everyone who provides services to you paid for by you from cradle to grave?

Why not?

Everyone benefits from an educated population. Even if you don't have children or use the NHS.

Obviously not true...

There already is such a thing called income tax which funds state schools.
State schools would benefit more by having an influx of motivated students backed by motivated parents - I would welcome children from private schools in to the state schools, it would help improve them further.

Well national insurance is meant to be used support the NHS and we can all see how that worked out....
I think(?) road tax isn't used exclusively for roads either.
So I don't think a schools/ education tax would work.
We all pay tax which is used for good of the country overall but we don't get a say really in how it's spent whether that's flights to Rwanda, high speed rail services, schools or nhs

I dont mind your sarcasm at all and it's true you cant just tick this box and get a discount. However when I look at the size of bonuses some high level bosses are receiving (e.g. from gas and electic companies wher the profits are purely circumstantial) I dont think the system is fair at all. I'm sure they dont work SO hard to justify their salaries and bonuses. However they often say that it's because of it.
I also not sure that they work SO well to justify their salaries and bonuses, just remember Paula Wennels, the former director of Post office, and many others
So it's about this sort of fairness.
Say, with lower prices for gas and electicity private schools parents would have extra cash and would feel much more comfortable financially.

How would you improve state schools?

FWIW i will pay the vat. It’s not a big problem for me. I wonder why everyone’s moaning about inequality and privilege but won’t help state schools get better. It wouldn’t take much per person. Would you do it? Do you deserve not to?

And many people choose to invest in their child's education directly. Many hard working people who priorities their kids future. But apparently they are the "entitled and privileged bubble".

The Tories reckon there's £6bn sloshing around from tax avoidance that is fairly easily recoverable so that might be a start...

I'm assuming your policy would have exemptions, such as those children living in poverty who probably benefit the most from educational opportunities?

Er, we all pay tax to help support a state school system. It benefits the whole of society for us to provide adequate, free education for all children. Some parents then use their free choice to take their children out of the system, by home schooling or paying for private school. If the state school system is struggling then clearly we should look at that and fix it through more funding, new ways or working, better working conditions for teachers etc (whatever is needed).

It’s like healthcare - free at point of delivery, and some people then opt out with private. We (thankfully) don’t then charge people who use public systems an extra tax.

If you add a tax for the parents of children at state schools (I assume that is what you are suggesting, not taxing the children) then you can be sure that those earning more and therefore paying more will demand more funding to their schools and so the divide gets bigger. And others will take their kids out of school for completely the wrong reasons.

No. Many families are already amongst the poorest people in society with children living on the breadline. A policy with the potential to push these children further into hardship through an additional tax burden on their parents would never win my vote. There is a vast difference between increasing the cost of a 'luxury' optional purchase through taxation, and a mandatory tax on some of those least able to afford it.

I would rather have a government who didn't piss our hard earned tax payments up the bloody wall. How much money would be left over for roads, education and NHS if the money was spent more wisely.

Education is just like the NHS, just by throwing money at it won't improve, you need a roots and branch change, more support for teachers, parents actually parenting rather than expecting the teachers to do it.

Someone I know recently had a letter home from the school health visitor saying that their child was overweight. Her reaction was to say "well they eat at the school 5 days a week so maybe their should sort themselves out first" - I've known this child for many years and I can tell you their weight problem didn't start with school, but apparently it's their problem to fix.

Also recently some of the parents were moaning as they were asked to put suncream on the children before bringing them to school. It's always the same parents on the Whatapp group who state that whilst the child is in their care it's the schools responsibility so they should sort it out - WTF!?

There would have to exemptions or balances. It those people who need it the most.

Not nearly enough. Stamp duty is only paid once by each owner - perhaps only collected once every few decades if the house is a "forever home"

The difference between a Band B (minimum except for tiny flats that would be impossible to raise a family in) and Band H (maximum) council tax is barely £3000 per year yet those in Band H homes in the catchment of a selective-by-wealth state school are saving themselves £126,000 in school fees per child across 7 years of senior school as they don't have to pay because the state offering is pretty much as good. And of course plenty of homes in the naice areas are only band E or F so even less contribution.

Source please ?. And that would probably be eaten up by the NHS in a day.

The MATs were in my view a mistake - too big and not transparent in comparison with LEAs. Some of these MATs have dubious policies and are just want control - they are not geographical or local which was the original purpose. Too much money wasted on higher management tiers and not put into what really matters. Whilst I do think more funding is needed I am concerned that money is not spent as it should be.

You’re right. So everybody pays a bit more tax for education purposes.

I love the 'taking random quotes and merging them' approach adopted by some posters. 😁

Depends exactly what needs improving.
It's often behaviour.
The state schools that I worked in would have been massively improved if the parents had been more supportive to sanctions for low level behaviour. Instead of oh he's only talking or she's only got her phone out or they've only missed 3 homeworks.
No amount of money given to the school can improve that. It's what leads to other kids leaving to go to other schools.... where they can actually get the work done.
It's not all about money.
I'm not saying for one second that schools don't need more money. I'm saying it's not the only thing.

Totally agree - the social contract has almost totally broken down. So many factors at play but faux-libertarian, anti-"nanny state" narratives have played a big role in our reaching the current situation where people feel entitled to certain things but then replay a childish tabloidesque whine of "you can't tell me what to do!" when it's suggested they might have responsibilities to society as well.

This!

It's not just about charging those using the service to top up for minor things ...which many already do....but long term planning and investment, as well as "repaying" what you got out of the system.

I don't believe many people don't use the NHS at all.
Even if you think you don't you benefit from public health campaigns, vaccination, screening. Very very few people have private GPs and even fewer access to private A&E....even if you do the doctors working there trained in, and usually still work in NHS.

People who are higher rate tax payers need to check their privilege. I am a higher rate tax payer. My employer provided private health care does not allow me to not use the NHS and my salary would not stretch to private education for my children.
I know I don't work harder than family who earn less. I just got slightly luckier with a series of choices.

If you are wealthy, and object to paying higher taxes. Do you have relatives that are not as well off?
I for example could not feel happy in a world without state schools/with very basic provision. Paying for my own kids to go private while my siblings children got nothing.

How would you improve the state education?

You absolutely don’t have to pay hundreds. Schools have so much second hand stuff they don’t know what to do with it. Swallow your pride and get second hand uniforms. All my 4 kids have it (my wages as a TA don’t cover new clothes) and it looks great, is in perfect condition and helps the environment by reusing.
I disagree that the uniform doesn’t look good or is uncomfortable- my kids stay in their uniform until bed time as it’s comfy and saves getting another set of clothes dirty.

And yet… no answers…