to suggest that every single parent with a child at private school apply for a state school place asap?

[sarjd]

let's see how that works.

There won’t be many schools where a fee increase allows you to leave without the required notice. Schools put their fees up frequently.

That's what I said. Every child has the right to a state education.

I don't. I was being sincere. Every child is entitled to a state education.

I mean, those who know me IRL know I'm sarcastic more often than not but I'm surprised I've had to clarify that I meant this sincerely three times now.

A court might say that, but this is an anomalous situation in the private sector. It has never happened before. If the Government said tomorrow that all private school children must now dye their hair blue by law, I am pretty sure an English court would exempt private school children from paying fees in lieu of notice.

Quite. And imagine what could happen if the many millions of clever state school parents fought for better education?
It's possible you know. Have you been to the countries where they've actually done that? State/private education is a total non issue there.

Only seeing this now @Silverstarfish1 as you didn't format the tag correctly. I'm not sure which of my posts you think is disrespectful?

And every private school parent applying for a state place now due to this will have to incur fees in lieu of notice, if a court holds that. Because of the way that private school contracts are drafted. On that basis alone, it would be utterly unreasonable for the Labour Party to bring this policy in from September 2024.

It will also be unreasonable to bring it in from January 2025 because children moving to the state sector won’t be in the state sector budget so will cost the state.

You can’t ’register an interest’ in a school place. If you have a child starting yR or y7, you apply via admissions in the autumn and will them be allocated a place in the following spring, which you accept or decline.

Or you have a child in a different year group, you apply via admissions and they will offer you a place if there is one, which you’ll need to accept or decline in eg 10-14 days.

“Quite. And imagine what could happen if the many millions of clever state school parents fought for better education?”

But we do, in our own schools. For our own children. And as they then to be privileged schools our DCs are getting a good education, in the state sector.

It is none of the government's business what private organisations do as long as they follow the law.

Conservative Campaign HQ. Formerly known as Conservative Central Office.

“It is none of the government's business what private organisations do as long as they follow the law.”

That may be so. Equally, it is the judiciary’s business to hold the Executive to account when making laws, in particular, any laws that may be discriminatory. Whilst they won’t involve themselves with pure taxation matters, where it is a question of discrimination, in any shape or form, they most definitely have an interest.

We have our (non SEN) kids at private school, and we make a monthly contribution to a local special school. Why does everyone assume that families with kids in private school don’t also make a significant contribution to their community?

@Araminta1003 not wanting to pay a tax does not make it discriminatory under protected characteristics.
Unless the government has changed the law to make one of those protected characteristics rich people?

It has been Lablur Party policy for several years. Labour has been polling pretty well for quite a long time. And we have all known that there would have to be a general election pretty soon. So I am not really sure that anyone could argue that the increase had come as a surprise to them?

Most private school families I know have been planning around the expected increase for quite a while.

The Tories appear to have missed a trick with that one.

Thank you! Couldn't agree more.

It's not a 20% tax on everything, though, is it? It's a tax on one area of non-compulsory spending, for the limited period in anyone's life when they have children in school.

There are private schools with a high proportion of children with SEN. Relying on just EHCP may well end up being discriminatory,

It doesn't free up a penny in any given state school. They get funded strictly according to the number on the roll, therefore the more who come in from private schools the better - particularly given that rolls are falling.

@Shortfatsuit - Labour “policy” means zilch. The sudden tax coming into force could be force majeure. They are not even in power yet. For now, it’s all speculation.

How private schools increasing their fees be considered and an "unforeseeabale act"?

Fuck no. No way am I putting my SEN kid in the local state school.

I would rather eat beans for the next few years.

I am resigned to the extra cost.

But they will start at those schools if labour comes in

Fascinating that private schools are "threatening" to cover this by taking away help from children who need bursaries, and stopping community support. So selfless of them. Why aren't they economising by, say, reducing the hours they use the swimming pool, having one less expensive concert or other production per year, putting off redecoration plans, turning the thermostat down, raising class sizes so they can cut down on staff, cancelling the governors' social, etc etc?