Doubts grow over Labour’s VAT plan for private schools

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Article in the Observer here:
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/oct/05/doubts-grow-over-labours-vat-plan-for-private-schools

I must say they've gone very quiet on it.

I suspect people think it's unreasonable to post yet another sodding school fees and VAT thread.

Private school is the single biggest segregating factor of society. That’s what I care about.

It’s amazing how many people on here say they are happy to pay more tax. Strangely, the figures show that a minuscule amount of people pay extra tax voluntarily. Actions speak louder than words.

My tax also pays for many state and council services that private school kids and their parents benefit from

Private school parents are paying for these services as well (as well as saving the taxpayer £8k per year per child).

Well, it was always foolish to start it mid academic year

Of course it isn’t. There are 6-7% of children at private school. The other 93% are in a sector where the segregation is huge - look at the difference in outcomes between the best and worst state schools. The disparity there is huge.

I’m shocked. Truly shocked.

Single biggest? You realise that less than half of any income bracket are privately educated?

I think you are confusing cause and effect.

Wow. This tells us all we need to know about the bitter poisonous culture, and sheer incompetence, there is at the heart of today’s Labour Party.

Our ‘our children’ just some children? All children? Which children?

It’s a bit like ‘working people’. Doesn’t actually mean all working people. Just some working people.

No one couldn't. That's not how tax works. It's not a subscription service.
Or ppl would be demanding refunds for other public services they don't use.

Can’t find one comment supporting her on x

They do it in some countries - like a subsidy or voucher.

There's another thread on the go at the moment, full of private sch parents saying how much value the school adds to their kids' lives and how it's worth every penny.

Either it's worth the investment, and their kids are getting an advantage... or there're not...which is it?

Loads of countries offset the cost of private school because it is recognised that private education provides a broader benefit to society.

As someone who is state school educated I didn't realise I was segregated from society...but then I guess I'm segregated with 93% of the population. More worrying is that I'm segregated from DH. But then I have much better grades and earn far more than him...what a segregation conundrum.

Plus more sound than Labour and that ridiculous X post it lowers the state burden and puts more disposable money into education as a whole

I would be happy to pay more yes – thanks for checking. My tax also pays for many state and council services that private school kids and their parents benefit from, so let’s not start making silly statements about that.

You know you actually can make voluntary, additional tax contributions? You can just bank transfer direct to HMRC. Why not do that when you can apparently easily afford private school, instead of expecting private school parents to do it for you? Maybe also get all your friends who can also easily afford private but choose state instead, to join in too!

There are state schools in certain areas of the country which provide a very similar standard of education to private schools. Not everyone can access those schools. For example, we don’t have any academically selective schools near us. The difference between the top state schools and private schools is minimal. The difference between the top and bottom state schools is huge. Many are using the private sector precisely because of the disparity within the state system. They can’t access a decent education because of their postcode.

My DS went to a grammar school (which was a lot better than the local comprehensive).

But he also had private school offers, if you do well enough in their entrance tests you can get a scholarship.

Agreed- A local secondary school has had a 100 extra applications last week compared to this time last year.

I wish they would back down, if only to just stop the moaning and endless sad face news articles. The latest was a parent fretting over affording the rise on the 8k primary fees, I'm guessing they hadn't really thought about the senior years.

I mean it's a change from the state parents being featured who can't afford a specific school uniform item and the child being excluded.

You were the one making silly statements. I pay plenty of tax (more than most) and chose not to take up a state school place but now you want me to pay an extra tax for not using a service that you actually use but won’t pay the extra tax for. Perverse.

I am quite happy for general taxation to be increased to pay for extra state funding. That way a decent amount could be raised without harming children in the process.

so are the private sch kids in "certain areas" getting a better education than state school kids in those same area?
If so, will those private sch kids benefit longer term from their private education, compared to state kids? and do you think this will cause disparity?
If you think it will not cause disparity, can you explain why?

you don’t seem to be following the discussion. There is more disparity within state schools than between state and private. Wealthy parents will find advantage for their children without private schools, and if you are doubly advantaged by having a NT child then a wealthy parent can easily engineer a positive outcome with very little capital investment.

if you were really worried about social segregation you would focus on the 94% of students in the state sector who have vastly different access to decent schools and adequate send support.

In constrast, there are 2 free spaces in my child's form at secondary school. She's in y7 at a sought after state school.

Yet here you are.