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 think a lot of the examples of people on lower or normal salaries in this situation may have had inheritance, family help, or other sources of revenue. Even op's example iirc of her brother who had the small mortgage bc of the "hefty dp." I agree the private school system supports inequality. Some private schools are about networking, for kids and parents.

The thing is, that's not the policy. It's not "Let's get rid of all private schools!"

It's going to impact the lowest earners who have chosen private school, and since we have established in this thread that it's hard to afford private school if you're not a high earner, they probably made that choice for very compelling reasons.

I can also confidently say it won't raise any money in the long term. In the short term, many parents will do everything they can, even if it means asking relatives for help or downsizing their home, not to pull their kids out of their school, especially if the alternatives aren't good.

In the long term, parents who might have chosen independent school will spend that money instead on moving to a better catchment area or more private tuition. If the price of something goes up 20% you cannot expect to keep the same number of customers in the long term.

That means a substantial number of kids who would have had their education paid for by their parents are now going to have it paid for by the state.

It will only be the richest parents that can afford to continue with private school.

'im glad you accept that even the top earners struggle to afford it.'

Hang on. I thought you said that you didn't need to be 'a top earner' and that if people were simply 'frugal', they could afford private schooling.

I think you are an utter snob OP. Enjoy your life looking down at the plebs

God I hope this is the last thread I see on this.. but I think not!

@uniq great response 👍🏼

So after school fees that leaves BIL with 25K which is about my salary.
If I was on my own, I'd be on some universal credit at least.
After tax, pension etc I get around £1700 pcm.
I own 25% of my house and pay £1000 pcm on the rest.
That leaves me £700 for my bills which come to more than that and that's without petrol, groceries or anything else.

It's highly unlikely unless they have paid off their mortgage and have no rent to pay and even then, it would still be tight.

I understand people saying ‘we scrape to afford it’ is rather laughable when scrape to afford it for lots is about scraping to afford heating not schooling. However, state schools are good. What the kid and family does within that education is mostly what determines outcome. Outcome is not the school, it’s the child, the family, genetics etc. It’s too easy and simplistic to blame private educated schools on the outcomes of state kids. State needs more money- the private school added vat will absolutely not have the desired outcome. I reckon the majority of you know that but you are still jerk for those using it to be charged more.

Totally agree there needs to be a separate topic for private education- its a niche thing only 7% of pupils or similar at private schools but as someone else commented dear god it feels like every single one of them is on mumsnet starting threads!

Not jerk, prefer

Did they not teach statistics and percentages at your private school? They did at mine.

Thank goodness this thread is coming to an end...

I don’t usually get drawn into these debates but in my extensive experience of sending my DCs to independent schools including the same school Ritchie Sunak went too it’s inevitable that parents are wealthier than average and parents sending their DCs to Eton, Winchester etc are exceedingly wealthy. To claim otherwise is disingenuous and insulting to those who haven’t got a hope in hell of paying even the cheapest school fees. I also hate the “I work hard to pay the school fees” line so often trotted out, many people work bloody hard and will never be able to afford school fees.
Those of us who pay/paid are able to do so because by luck whether it be luck of birth, the type of education we received/chose, the career we chose, or the way we invested money have manoeuvred ourselves into a position where are post tax, and having paid for life’s essentials we still have sufficient money sloshing around to pay school fees. Let’s not pretend otherwise.

What a bafflingly bizarre post. I'm a teacher too and have taught in the state and private sector. Your apparently surprised revelations about private schools would not be news to anyone! Of course they are able to provide a better education. It's no secret that they usually have better facilities, their pick of teachers, small classes, amazing opportunities and are able to select and reject students as they wish. It is perfectly understandable that parents who can afford to would want to send their dc there.

But it's not a sacrifice. It's just wealthy (or at least relatively wealthy) people buying a superior product or service, just as they do with other products and services. Not everyone agrees that having private schools is a bad thing, but it certainly isn't bigotry to think that.

I'm surprised that your takeaway from moving from the state to the independent sector is that you feel sorry for the poor private school parents being judged. Mine was that I felt sad thinking how much some of my great state school students could achieve if they were able to come to a school like the one I'd moved to.

It will never be a level playing field- ever. Unless everyone is going to be paid the same for whatever job. That levels up earnings but what about parenting, brains, housing, all of the key stuff that determines how well people do?

Absolutely. My boys are so much more able to get on with a wide variety of people than many of their privately educated friends.

Do you know what the average annual full time salary is?

It is definitely not normal to have that kind of money lying around.

OP, honestly, I'd pay a hell of a lot for my kids not to end up a closed-minded snob like you. Some life experience would have benefited you more than a posh education, i think.

40 a day costs over £9k and that would pay school fees for one child round these parts (not London).
Private school fees are actually cheaper than nursery fees round here. Lots of people can afford nursery and so they could afford private school. They just don't want to when there is Ikos / Sani to pay for, a RR Evoque on finance, LV luggage set, pizza ovens and meals out several times a week. But pay for private school and you truly are a terrible person (in the eyes of the great unwashed) 🤪

Absolutely. We received a letter today from our child’s school trust. They are cutting SEN support unless it’s stipulated in EHCPs to save money. Targeting the most vulnerable again. But let’s feel sorry for the privileged kids of the rich who might have to skip upgrading the Land Rover for a few years to cover the hike in fees.

If the sacrifice means you have to go without to the extent that you are living frugally, not having a normal life and sacrificing every that makes life enjoyable, then it’s not worth it! I also don’t believe that people on less than the average pay can afford it!

The thing is, that's not the policy. It's not "Let's get rid of all private schools!"

It's a good start. Hopefully towards this.

Then you can bloody pay for the privilege then can't you. Plus 20%

That’s no excuse not try and make things more equal. People are so full of excuses not to try and make things better it’s so sad

It is