Why do people think parents who pay for private education are enormously wealthy?

[SheineOn]

Is this just the stereotype?

I went to a school that cost 18k a year (15 years ago). It’s now 24k a year.

There were wealthy people there. But also many ‘normal’ people. At least 40% fell into that category. People who lived on estates, drove modest cars, skipped holidays and ate cheaply.

They made a choice to spend their money on private education. For context, two of my closest friends have dc in private. They live off 450 a month after paying fees. They are not high earners.

Not everyone has endless wealth. Some are just happy to make the sacrifice. I find it strange people don’t seem to get that and makes me wonder how lacking in knowledge you must be to have that view of the private sector.

I earn £19000 before tax per year. I have a degree and work in healthcare, In a very ordinary job. I obviously cannot afford £24000 per year after tax. Ridiculous. I want the best for my children and have made enormous sacrifices over the years so don't tell me I'm not putting their education first.

I went to an independent school for some of my secondary education, and there were several children there who lived in terraced houses, children of teachers, nurses etc.. There were also some fabulously wealthy families too living in actual castles. You get a broad spread.

Less likely in 2024.

My street of London was full of families with one working parent who was a teachers, police, etc Houses now cost 1.8m so completely different demographic.

Exactly, you spent your money where you thought it would do the most benefit for your children.

I do the same.

So do many private school parents.

You could argue that what I spend my money on for my kids accrues VAT, which is true, but it also doesn't save the state £8kpa in educating her.

I agree OP, we are not wealthy, we buy cheap clothes, have a modest car, don't go on flash holidays or buy 'stuff'
We have prioritised our kids' education above all

You cannot work full time and earn £19k pa. That's considerably below NMW.

Who says it's 'spare' people buy cars for more than that all the time but wouldn't think to spend it on schooling for their kids

I imagine they would be, just as most of us would be richer if we didn't make certain lifestyle choices ie holidays, new cars etc.

I used to live in Ireland, my ex husband went to private school there, so it isn't unheard of. The vast vast majority of the UK also go to state school, around 93%.

What I don't understand is how you're (the collective, not you personally) not rising up and demanding proper 'free' education for everyone. There will always be a select few who want private, but it shouldn't be an almost default. It shouldn't be catastrophic to send kids to a state school. It should be the norm.

This has got to be one of the most ridiculous, privileged things I've read on this site.

Of course anyone with a spare £24k to spend on private education is wealthy.
We go on holidays, have cars, mortgage and some designer clothes, we have a nice life, but we don't spend £24k a year on it, or anywhere near it. Our combined income is around £55k, private school fees for both children would wipe out all our income entirely. It is just not possible.

Anyone who is able to 'make sacrifices' to scrape together £24k year in year out is wealthy and privileged. To say otherwise is incredibly naive at best. I find it downright insulting that you think we just need to prioritise our money better.

The crux of the matter is, most people would prefer a big house, flash car and designer clothes rather than spend it in their children's education. Their right to do so but not everyone's choice

Not all school fees are paid by parents, many are paid by government (military etc), companies, charities, grandparents.

Or that we haven't prioritised our kids education 👀

@Noonelikesasloppytrifle well they can’t afford school fees & the extension I guess but I don’t think that’s reflective of most people.

Perhaps they feel like it’s the less offensive explanation? I’ve heard my sister say she can’t afford PE to others. She can but thinks it’s a waste of money & her dc go to one of the best state grammars in the country. She wouldn’t say that to someone paying fees particularly if she was aware they were cutting back to afford fees.

Bollocks. People on less than average wages do not spend £24k on school fees. You are completely delusional OP. If people like that have kids at private schools then either someone else is paying the fees or they have huge bursaries.

What do you consider a big house? Three bedroom semi?
Big car? 8 year old Ford?
Designer clothes? T shirts from ASDA and trousers from Sainsburys?

Ok, I just see so much here about private. I don't think there's a private school in my county. There were richer schools and poorer ones, but all free. No houses being remortgaged for primary/ secondary education. And limited college fees.

👆

Agree with this! Isn’t it just a case of doing the maths to see if you could afford a change in your circumstance? Like you do with your mortgage- can I/we afford a jump in inflation/costs etc. I wouldn’t choose private schooling if it meant I had hardly anything left over for unforseen increases in fees, cost of living, holidays etc. I also know people who went to private school and their parents werent well off and they hated it as most kids had a totally different lifestyle to them. Just my opinion of course but it is a choice and it is a luxury!

Pretty sure the vast majority of the UK population buy cheap clothes, have a modest car, don't go on flash holidays and prioritise their children's education.
Prioritising your children's education is not synonymous with private schooling.

Not at all, lots of people can't afford those either! If you can afford private school you're wealthy/privileged, even if you have to live frugally to do so, the average earners in this country can't afford thousands of pounds on school fees, however well they manage their money.

You've done that thing where you think everyone has the same amount of money as you, but you spend it better, and everyone else is frivolous. Not the case.

Why don't we all have massive houses and fancy cars then? I don't prioritize my kids education, where my Lambo?

A quarter of children are currently eligible for free school meals, meaning they have a household income of less than £7,500 a year.

A household income of £45k (i.e. one parent in minimum wage and one on slightly above that) puts you in the top 50% of the population.

If you are a newly qualified midwife married to a police sergeant, your household income income will be in the top 30%.

To be in the highest earning 20 of households, which could reasonably be argued is rich, you would have a gross household income of £92,800.

I think people often underestimate just how poor everyone else is.

Yeah - 4 bed semi that cost £150,000 9 years ago,, 3 year old Dacia Duster and mainly Primark!

The crux of the matter is, most people would prefer a big house, flash car and designer clothes rather than spend it in their children's education. Their right to do so but not everyone's choice

Most people don’t feel the need to spend money on PE.
And plenty can’t afford it after paying for a small house, normal car, high street clothes.

All the time each year for several years ! That's a bit of a stretch isn't it ?