Private school fees - act now for SEND!

[BellesAndGraces]

The King’s Speech is scheduled for this Wednesday (17th July) and it will be followed by 4 days of debating Labour’s proposed legislation in Parliament, including the introduction of VAT on private school fees.

If you have a child with special educational needs or a disability and send them to a private school because your local state school was unable to meet their needs but do not have an EHCP I would strongly suggest that you write to your MP and tell them why you send your child to a private school and how the charging of VAT on private school fees will affect you. Ask your MP to stand up in Parliament and ask the government whether it is willing to expand the exception they have agreed to make for children with EHCPs to cover all children who attend private school in order to meet their SEND. If you share your story and circumstances with your MP you will be providing them with a case study they can refer to in Parliament about how charging VAT on private school fees will affect those of their constituents who are already dealing with the challenges that having a child with SEND can bring.

You can find out who your MP is and their email address here: https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP

I’m staggered that people think local authorities spending vast amounts of money on non special school private fees for a few children is ok. It needs to be stopped. That money will impact the SEN budget for everybody else and with an EHCP if a special school isn’t needed state education if good enough.

I'm confused. Why would private education for Sen pupils be zero vat rated? I'm not really seeing the logical argument for this?

Absolutely

Thanks very much for taking the time to respond. I am really grateful.

Yes I have viewed More House. On paper it looks like it would work but he is really very bright and I dont think the style of teaching is quite right. Eg they explained how they taught telling the time in chunks over and over again for dyslexic students but he understood time instantly years before it was taught in his mainstream primary maths curriculum and he used to invent time systems in other number bases just for fun.

Labour have not said they will exempt pupils with an EHCP from VAT on school fees - only pupils where the local authority is paying the fees (likely to be at special schools not mainstream private). VAT is on the goods or service not the customers - unless a school was providing a materially different service to a child with SEND it would be discriminatory to exempt them from VAT when classmates have to pay. They have been quiet on school fees so far - I except a 'consultation' then surprise finding of it being too legally complex and fiscally pointless to do.

@JumpingJill it is very much a case of finding a private school that is the correct fit. I mentioned my DC’s disability very briefly on the application form and it was only once he had passed the entrance exams and interview that I drilled down into how the school could support him and what additional resource he might need. In addition to paying his school fees, we use his DLA to buy in additional external resource including specialist equipment and annual training for his teachers. The school has now suggested that we get an EHCP to specifically cover the additional resources we are paying for but there was very much a hesitancy on their part initially as my understanding is that they have not had an EHCP for a child in recent years and DS is the only child at the school with a physical disability. The reality is that we have not needed the EHCP to date as the school happily meets DS’s needs without it, however, we will of course now explore it given the anticipated changes to VAT. Ironically, I was a lifelong Labour voter pre-Corbyn and have been reluctant to apply for an EHCP because first, I know how difficult they are to get where I live and, second, I do not think the LA should have to pay for DS’ private education when I can afford it together with the DLA. However, I am so stretched as it is that I won’t be able to afford VAT plus the usual annual increases.

@DarkM3l0n that's not what this thread is about?

Incidentally though, my LA "exports" about 20% of children with EHCP to schools outside of borough (independent, state, boarding) because they haven't built enough capacity.

I bet they're not the only ones.

Yes I was wondering do people expect school fee invoice to be a different amount for ECHP students when this is in place?

The non special school private school fees can be a cost effective way of meeting a child's needs for an LA.

Particularly for a child who is academic, so most special state schools don't work as they dont offer the curriculumn, but they have still have high sensory and communication issues so most maintained states don't work as they are too busy.

For instance a child in a mainstream state with 1 to 1 can cost the same or less than a child in a private school, who now doesn't need 1 to 1 as the class size is smaller and the day includes more sports or arts so they are calmer.

Basically proper SEN support costs a lot wherever you deliver it.

NAH… I think we need better State SEND provision

It absolutely isn’t cost effective,quite the reverse.Stopping this and ensuring provision happens in state schools only when special schools aren’t needed would save a fortune.

Most EHCPs don’t request a 121 and a full time TA on minimum wage would only be paid £12k as opposed to £18k for private school fees. Said TA would be doing other work too in a state school.

This really needs to be looked at, it’s ludicrous and a massive waste of money.,

Realistically, there has to be an adjustment period for children with SEN at private schools.

What most people on here are proposing is that parents of children with SEN at private schools remove their children (because they can't afford the fees), lobby the government and expect big, positive changes for children with needs.

In reality, this will take years. And in the meantime, those children will have to move schools. A massive upheaval for children who are already struggling.

For those not in private schools, Labour has already outlined how they will reform education, which will take a lot more money than what they will raise through VAT on private schools. They've committed to it, and it will happen, so I'm not sure why a minority of parents of children with SEN sending letters to their MP is causing such an uproar.

Private schools near me have an unofficial policy of not admitting children with EHCPs or SEND unless it’s a very limited/easy to manage situation. Therefore I am not able to take up private education even if I could afford it. I would rather we sorted out SEND in the state sector.

Sorry I disagree. Most won’t be moving their children, of the few that will many won’t have children with severe SEN( apparantly they’ll all be stealing grammar places) EHCPs are protected as
are those in special schools. Also children move and change schools all the time. They don’t melt.

Here come the bitter brigade, bitching about those of us who have worked our bollocks off in order to get our child a decent education. Bore off. If you don't agree just scroll on and start your own periods fgs

Petitions not periods!!

Because in some instances there is not a state alternative that can meet a child's needs. So the state sends the child to a private school. It's not a case of state or private, it private or no provision.

Then some parents feel that the state could not meet their child's needs but they couldn't wait for the ehcp process to conclude (and yes it can be slow and yes it can destroy children whilst waiting/fighting) so rather than go through that they pay because they can but the fact is still the same thaf it was private or nothing. However, I.imagine this is very hard to evidence.

Most families work their bollocks and no thanks I for one won’t be scrolling on. The op posted on AIBU and I think she’s being unreasonable so will post to my hearts content thanks.

But state can provide for all children’s needs and it is more cost effective to ensure that only state provision is provided with EHCPs. SEN funding going to the non special school private sector needs to be stopped. I hope the onslaught of parents trying to save money on private fees by proclaiming SEN will highlight how ridiculous and a waste of money this practise is.

Many children with SEN find drastic change extremely difficult.

And I'm not sure how you know that they won't remove their children?

I have no evidence (as far as I'm aware, there isn't any), but I do know of two sets of parents who have removed their children with additional needs due to VAT. One is home-schooling now (interestingly, there's never a backlash to this even though home-schooling typically requires more money as only one parent works or works fewer hours), and the other has put their child into a state school. This child does have extra support which I'm assuming is costing the school more money.

Also, how do you steal grammar places? I was confused about that one.

Genuine questions by the way.

LOL. Today has been a horrible day, thank you for the belly laugh that your post provided. While I catch my breath, please can you share your personal experience of SEND provision in state schools and how the LA has been able to adequately support your child and also how you got on applying for an EHCP for your child?

A child attracts about 6k funding which is for the class teacher/head/offuce/senco Then a TA costs more than 12k because the school also pays national insurance and pension contributions. So that's over 18k for 1 child in state. Although it comes via different mechanisms.

I am well aware that not all ehcps require a 1 to 1. It was one example of how it can be cost effective. It's not always cost effective.

If someone has been awarded an ehcp naming a normal private school, it will have been thoroughly considered, evidenced and costed. They are in small numbers.

So if in small numbers really not worth the hoo ha.

It needs to be scrutinised more as paying private school fees for an entire education is not a good use of resources.A 121TA will work with other children too in groups at times and do other jobs which is good for the child and state funding.

And re the moving argument EHCPs are reviewed every year, SEN need can change. It’s not a given that a privately educated child would need to have its fees funded every year.

What makes you think people who disagree with you are bitter? Is it not possible that they just have another opinion?

It needs to be more scrutinised than going the the LA scrutiny process and very often a tribunal. Seriously?