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.

Those talking about inequality but also saying that state schools are perfectly adequate….

which is it?

I see what you were saying now but this only applies to a v small minority and definitely doesn't apply to all schools. In the past, there were assisted place but Labour scrapped those decades ago. I suspect that, assuming Labour do get in and do start charging VAT on the fees, these scholarships will become even fewer.
Essentially, for those paying the fees (the great majority), you do need a very high income or someone else such as grandparents assisting a huge amount or something else such as a v large inheritance.

Wealth is relative. If you can afford to pay fees (of any sort) then you are wealthy in comparison to someone who cannot afford to do so.

That is an absolute fact.

What is so wrong with your normal, free schools? And why aren't you raising the roof about it?

@SheineOn how many pairs of jeans is your house worth?
Do you bash said jeans or a rock or are you frivolous and use a washing machine?
Do you think your DC will be very embarrassed when their friends notice you've been wearing the same smelly trousers all week? Will you attempt to pass it off as an eccentricity or Steve Jobs esque "uniform".

There is a an underlying envy. People have more money than others for lots of reasons, not all reasons are because they don't deserve it nor did they earn it in sinister and unfair ways. Wealth is relative. Some people in the world would love to live in the UK, even with the life that some people are angry about because they don't feel they get enough money. Hoping our neighbours have things coming to them because they can afford more than us, will never make you personally have a better life.

What's your point? Adequate does not mean it couldn't be better. It has nothing to do this..

Do you understand what inequality is?

Oh here we go that same old boring nonsense that we are envious of people with money 🙄

£75k household income is double the UK average. This is privilege, even if it isn't "wealth" (although, I suspect if you are on less than the UK average it will also be wealthy, too).
As many people have said, a family on the median average household income (of £35k in 2022) are not going to be able to afford private education (either before or after VAT)

OP, It is entirely up to you where you send your children to school but your brother having a hefty house deposit, however that came about, also means he is far from "average", so almost berating people for not prioritising their children's education for something that is financially impossible is quite out of touch.

SEN children (and those on substantial scholarships paying the large majority of the fees) aside, if your children are in private education, then the family is more privileged than most, simply by having the ability to make the choice on how to spend £24k per child per year - regardless of whether that is on their education or on something else.

Mother of god, do you hear yourself?

Well that’s about as ignorant as the debate on wealth. Choosing boarding haves zero to do with outsourcing parenting and everything to do with a personal belief in the benefit of that system of education and what it can offer. Both my husband and I were at boarding school and have close relationships with our parents and my kids went/go and feel the same. It’s a fantastic opportunity for the right kind of child albeit only available to a few.

Oh here we go that same old boring nonsense that we are envious of people with money

Plenty of posters who are now priced out of PE due to VAT appear to envy those who are unaffected & are upset by the inequality of it. 😆

My goodness and I quote “I can see why parents scrimp and save for their kids to have this education rather than the local comp. I respect them for their sacrifices. Of course they have to be earning more than an average wage but they are also saving the government thousands by not taking a state school place.” Do you think people should say thank you to those are wealthy enough to choose to pay for private education? Thank you for stepping aside so that my child can learn to read and write, thank you for your sacrifice and scrimping and saving whilst the majority live a wild time of holidays etc. What absolutely rubbish. These people are able to pay to get their kids in the mix with other “nice” kids and avoid the misery of the local state schools. I

God these posts really bring out the vile green eyed monsters…….

😂😂

Its also always worth remembering its far more expensive to live as a poorer person

As a basic example...
Someone with affluent parents is more likely to be able to stay at home to gather a house deposit and live in suitable housing
Someone less affluent....
Likely to be paying far more on rent than they would on a mortgage

People in Lower cost housing are far more likely to be in houses with bad insulation paying out for things like electric heaters, higher bills, paying for launderettes

Lower deposit on your house? You'll pay far more on interest.

House in a dodgy area? Pay lots more on insurance

More likely to be paying more for cars less likely to have reliable cars so higher cost of fixing, high insurance payments (type of car, dodgy areas, less likely to have off street parking) etc

There are a billion things that cost more if you pay monthly vs in one go, or which you can't access if your credit isn't great.

This can't be true. The average uk salary is £28,000. You can't be on less than that and afford £24k in fees.

Presuming you mean combined income. But your family's combined income is still pretty well off if they have a spare 24k.

Oh 😂

yes I agree. There are some comfortably well off families and also some EXCEEDINGLY well of families there. I acknowledge that we are in a minority.

And other schools may not be dishing out the help in the way that ours did, although if they are claiming a charity status Id have thought that doing so should be the cornerstone of their proof of 'charity'.

And I do agree that there should be VAT on the fees.

Why did I send my child? It wasnt about exam results tbh - academically I expect that he would have done OK in the local comprehensive and sixth form, but after 2 years there his MH and belief in himself was destroyed, and it was so huge, noisy and overwhelming that he was self harming and becoming a tiny non existant shadow of himself, so as to not draw any attention to himself and his differences.

A smaller, quieter, calmer environment, where the headmaster chose the pupils on character (kind and fair being his favourite attributes - and I know several people who could have paid easily who's kids were refused admittance) which focused on building a childs independance and skills in their chosen fields, with huge emphasis on arts.

Do I think every child should have that opportunity? Yes of course I do. Did I struggle with sending him, when it went against alot of what I believed in and made me feel like an absolute hypocrite. yes I did. But do I regret it? seeing him now, no I dont.

There's a saying about buying cheap shoes and how it essentially costs you more. Because you have to keep buying them more often.

You are aware that the average wage in the uk is circa £35k which without pension deductions is around £28k. Not many people could live off £4k per year in order to send one child to private school.

No he doesn’t, stop lying. It isn’t possible unless he has no bills or someone else living in the household who is the main earner. That or the child has a bursary that you don’t know about, or grandparents helping to pay.

You’re woefully naive about what wealth and privilege means. I was privately educated and will privately educate my child and I’m embarrassed for you. Your attitude is one of the reasons people are scathing of private education.

Well yes - @SheineOn refuses to say what BIL partner does so I am guessing the answer is 'works and brings in another wage' - it's all smoke and mirrors isn't it.

She's just taking the piss tbh.

so the 15 billion we need in state schools? Anyone know where that is coming from? Maybe people should focus their energies on that. This will help those using the state system - all of them in some way. Getting 1 billion from vat is never ever going to cut it. You know the score- govt say they have given x amount and schools have never seen the money. Remember the catch up programme? Do you know how impossible it was and pointless that was? It didn’t work and didn’t happen? Any of you angry voters ever queried that money?