To wonder if Private School parents think we can’t read?

[Captainmycaptains]

Work/volunteer in Education so following the whole VAT debate.

SM is full of private parent groups ‘organising’ to get the proposed VAT on fees cancelled - fine you would, wouldn’t you esp.if you’re used to getting your own way.

They’re advocating hassling local schools, councils, demanding stats and figures that don’t exist, wiring to MPs - telling people to ‘claim’ their state place to ‘disrupt’ the ‘system’ while also saying ‘ Obvs we won’t be taking Charlotte and Hugo out of school, we’ll find the money’ etc strive harder, getting granny to chip in’ but this might make the council ‘panic’.

Do they think that people in support of the VAT aren’t seeing/hearing/reading all of these plans???

the funniest one yet is the poster who said ‘ well going to claim our state school places then! See how they like that! We’ll going holiday, pay the mortgage down, shop at Waitrose and save £700k in the process, ha!’
I. no you aren’t 2. Okay - go for it! Who on earth would think £700k is worth it?? Behave like a normal person then…

YANBU - yeah, they’re noisy as expected but the rest of us are as think/ concerned as they seem to think. Also - it’s too late for Sept - waiting lists only…

YABU - applying for school places you have no intention of using is daft, and of course everyone can see what they’re trying to do.

Private schools are a luxury that largely have pupils with parents who are very high income. They do not need a tax advantage. They should pay the fees and any taxes due.

So basically you have asked for extra work to help your child who can do more, and you have been shut down. This isn’t just a lack of money issue, it is also a cultural issue in our education. No amount of VAT is going to change that.

If I came across this situation in a state school, I would just think “Fuck It”, I will send my DC here and they can learn the basics, but at home I am taking it upon myself. So I would get my DC a tutor(s), workbooks, maybe KUMON if maths related and I’d do extra curricular things. I’d look at my DC’s reading book, read the minimum of it required by the school, and get books of our own. I’ve done these things, even though my DC went to an International school, then a private school in the UK.

What I wouldn’t be doing is using my networks, emotions and money to better improve the state school. That is not because I am devoid of any compassion for another person, but because I don’t have any network.

If you want to improve things for your DC I highly recommend you get off your own arse and do it. I work, and look after my own family. How about YOU email the schools about standards, YOU email the head. YOU hassle them for better reading, spelling etc.

How about the SEN, military and kids on a bursary?

These VAT on private school fees threads are so annoying! But why do do people comment when they don't have the info. It is not a tax loop hole and most private schools are not charities.Labour want to tax education on private school fees as they consider it to be a luxury. It is a change in tax rules. The EU does not allow VAT on education which is why there is currently no VAT on private school fees historically but Labour want to change this. If we re-joined the EU , then the VAT would have to go again. Also, putting VAT on education sets a bit of a precedent and the next government or another government could extend to further forms of education.

I don’t think you’re doing the state education system any favours with your little outburst. I certainly wouldn’t want my child to be taught by you.

Most private schools are not charities? Which ones? The ones in my city certainly all are.

Many of those parents now applying to state schools are doing so to keep their options open.

Applying now? How does that keep your options open? They'll mainly be applying in year I guess? We moved our DD's school a few months ago (between two state schools), and once they offered us the place we had a very short time to either confirm, or lose the place. If you accepted an in year move now, you'd be expected to take it up pre-summer. Not keep your options open.

There is a contingent of private school parents giving a clear impression that their precious DC going to (gasp) a state school is a fate worse than death to be avoided by any means. These people do not realise how badly this comes across to the 90% of the population for whom the fees for private education are completely out of reach. Why is state school so disastrous for your children but you don't see the need to divert funding to improve it for all children?

And some of the members of those groups will be people like the OP, not private school parents.

Why is state school so disastrous for your children but you don't see the need to divert funding to improve it for all children?

Because some people only care about themselves.

I’m sure that’s what some people mean but not all. Changing schools is a big thing for any child. Not just moving from private to state. I think any parent would be concerned at the impact moving schools would have on their child no?

Military is a luxury. Lots of children with military parents do not go to a private school.
SEN children will be exempt from vat if they have an ECHP.
Kids on a bursary is the decision of the schools, nothing to do with government.

Many of those parents now applying to state schools are doing so to keep their options open.

Yep, I will be doing this next year. It is not to clog up the system, it is to give me a choice when things unfold. We may take it up, we may not. There is lots of hate towards private school DC but at the end of the day, they have just as much right as yours do to apply to a local state school. Just as much right as yours who put up to 4 choices on their list, and who shuffle them around and appeal against ones they don’t like. You can’t say on one hand that you want them in your schools to improve things, then moan when they apply.

There is no logic to taxing private school parents, to fund the state system which they don’t use, when there are plenty of state parents on a “very high income”. Why should they not pay more into a system which they use at no cost to them?

That's the crux of it.

For example, a lot of current Y5 parents are planning to apply to hold a state school place, to wait and see what happens with VAT. The same will be happening at reception and 6th form level. That’s 3 entry points.

Berosebee children do move school all the time though. I can see that there's a group who may have DC at a difficult state (finishing y10 for example) where a move could be disruptive. In reality the vast majority of children in that situation will not be moved. A large chunk of parents can afford an increase. A large chunk of schools will absorb some/all of the vat increase at least on a temporary basis. A few more families will borrow, get family help, or agree payment plans with the school.

The number who will actually disruptively move at a difficult stage will be small. Lots will simply not go private at y7, y9 or y12 etc.

Around half are not charities. That is nationally, and won’t be true for every small area of the country.

MostbSEN kids at privatenscholls don't have an EHCP because there is no need to have one. Therefore all those parents are now busy applying for them. Which clogs up the system and costs the state more money.

It's almost like Labour didn't consult/meet with the sector prior to the manifesto to properly understand the complexities and issues. Oh yeah, that's right they didn't! Hence all the back peddling now. We invited them to and they didn't reply. Hell they didn't even know about state boarding schools!

For example, a lot of current Y5 parents are planning to apply to hold a state school place, to wait and see what happens with VAT. The same will be happening at reception level.

The decline in birth rate over the past decade means this actually isn't an issue, capacity wise in the state sector.

I agree it will be a small number. And kids do change school all the time. Some of them are badly affected by this though. And personally, private or not, I feel for any child who moves school and ends up unhappy. And I can understand why parents would be concerned about that.

MostbSEN kids at privatenscholls don't have an EHCP because there is no need to have one.

And a big slug of them may apply but won't be granted one, either.

So why are people getting annoyed at private parents applying for state places when capacity isn’t an issue? It’s worth nothing though that, as far as I’m aware, the IFS figures are based on current pupil numbers. I don’t think they’ve taken account of falling birth rates which will affect the tax take figure,

The massive inequality in state education affects far more people. That is what people should be more concerned about. Some children get a fantastic state education equivalent or better than private schools and others don’t get anything near that. One brilliant state school I used to teach in had around 20 applicants for each place. That meant 19/20 children had to go to a less good school. The top school in the world for sending pupils to oxbridge in 2022 was a state school.

This comment was more embarassing