How many kids have left the school? (VAT)

[limeandwater]

It's been long enough now that I think we can make a reasonable conclusion on how bad it has hurt school.

To be honest at our school I only know 3 pupils that have left because of the VAT so not as bad as many feared.

Still heartbreaking for the kids though.

Propping up failing schools through tax breaks is not right.

the few schools I know about raised prices well below the 20% that was added - which in my mind shows there is far to trim.

we are at a point where wealth inequality has grown considerably and we do need to take tough decisions, and sometimes the losers in those tax and spend decisions are rich people. The VAT loophole on schools made no sense other than a kick back for the wealthy at the expense of the many.

Religions should pay VAT next.

Another flip side is seeing teachers move from collapsing fee paying schools into the state sector.

Being candid, the standard is very patchy.

Schools closing has many factors https://schoolsweek.co.uk/how-falling-school-rolls-are-not-just-londons-crisis/

its too easy for rich people to weaponise the VAT issue through soundbites.

money is tight, nobody likes paying tax but we have a shrinking ageing population and do have some tough decisions to make.

We are at grammar and have noticed quite a few transferring but speaking to parents that's largely because despite having four good private schools locally, they've all become SEN hotspots and for international students. Great if you have a child who has SEN and doesn't mind most the cohort being socially segregated but it doesn't seem worth the money otherwise.

Yes, this is overlooked a lot (as well as the falling birth rates). Fees have been pricing people out for years and many parents who can afford the 30k plus a year want all singing & dancing which a lot of private schools don’t offer.

Really? I've worked mainly in state schools but also in private schools and never found this. I would say the standard of teaching is about the same.

Nope. Not true. Private tutors are not included. The only parents effected are those sending children to private schools.

Your insistence in trying to push this false narrative is bizarre.

Don't be ludicrous. Would you be ok with your mortgage being g whacked up 20% part way into a fixed deal? Many parents really really struggle but meet the fees because their state offering is poor or completely unsuitable for their SEN child. By introducing it mid year and universally, rather than in September and / or at the next natural.break point forveach child they revealed just how ideological and spite driven this was. It was an easy win early on and ive yet to see a single named improvement in state education as a result.

Evidence for that please? Every private school I've worked in for the last 20 years has only hired qualified teachers, usually with more than one degree or, in a very few cases, recent grads who are immediately enrolled on a grad teaching training scheme. I will acknowledge that some may be less good at crowd control than what might be required at some state comps, but that's not lack of teaching skills, that's lack of interest in trying to.prop up a whole load of societal problems that should not be a teachers' job.

It’s not a false narrative it’s in the legislation.

Big decline in our area -

We had 4 private schools in a one city. Two have merged. My feeling is another will close in the next couple of years.

The VAT increase is just one of the factors. Cost of living rose dramatically so the parents have less money but so do the schools as their bills/wages have risen too.

The birth rate in the UK has been declining since 2010 and home educating has risen so less children are entering the school system.

Our city has an excellent highly sought after state school. The declining birth rate means the catchment area has increased and therefore people who may have not got their children into this school and therefore chosen private now don’t feel they need to.

Nextly other private schools in nearby cities are struggling so offering free transport from our city. Some of these schools have better facilities etc so some families are opting out of the area.

Also the world feels uncertain. People I’ve spoken to feel less confident in making a commitment to paying school fees for 5-14 years.

LOL @ tax breaks for children’s education. What a mindset.. Tell me you’re a life long net recipient without telling me.

I think k its really interesting that a few posts have mentioned schools closing and their local.states are v good. This is exchange as it should be. Id bloody love not to have beggared myself with fees but my local states were not v good at all. If people really want a level playing field, thats where the efforts should go..but as I said, ive yet to see one single improving state as a result of this. The SEND reforms are a disaster and wont achieve what the Gov says it will so there's a still a huge need for small, quiet, mainstream schools like the ones I pay £££ for my kids to attend.

Tbf that’s just most parents. DH and I are considered high earners but we couldn’t afford private school. Only very wealthy people can or those with familial wealth I.e grandparents willing to pay.

It isn’t really sad to hear private schools are struggling or closing their sixth forms at all. The current state of state schools is sad. Maybe those teachers will go help the state schools struggling with low staff numbers instead.

This is incorrect. Where i live outside the SE, loads of parents are very ordinary professionals. No they're not on min wage but fairly standard grad salaries. Lower housing costs mean they can (just) afford fees but they absolutely are not 'very wealthy' . As has been pointed out, the truly wealthy are unaffected by this. Eton isn't closing. Want to talk about false narratives? The idea that all fee paying parents are instead 1%..there you go.

ignore the point completely, well done.

my two kids went private. Increases of 12% when they were 6% in previous years.

tell me about your grotesque sense of entitlement without telling me

No it's not.

The legislation is here

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/8/part/3/crossheading/value-added-tax

It's dishonest political rhetoric that's designed to push a false narrative. It's neither accurate nor in the legislation.

Were you just hoping no-one would mention it?

I actually laughed out loud at this 😂

Loads of posters on here have made snide comments about how pupils leaving private schools will be taking up places in the good state schools/grammars ... making comments like "I hope the parents of the children who would otherwise have taken those places voted labour because then the family got what they asked for". They clearly are arguing that private schools ease the burden on state (just in a bitchy, sideways way).

And it’s a good deal for the tax payer especially since independent kids grow up to be higher tax payers on average 😂😂😂 you mean they'll take the higher paying jobs and perpetuate the inequality - oh yes, such a great deal for everyone else 😂

I could never have afforded private school for my daughter, she actually went to the same senior school as Bridget Phillipson, that doesnt mean I can't have sympathy for children whose lives are being disrupted and staff who will lose their jobs.

Shame.
Anyone seen Mr Motivator's bed bank charity? It's just one of myriad charities providing what used to be basics and are now becoming luxury items for children.

Donation link here.

https://www.bedbank.org.uk/

Not many have left DCs prep but pre VAT maybe 1 child went state secondary that number is now around 6. The far bigger impact has been those not joining at all. The difference between year 2 and reception in terms of numbers has made it clear that many families who had planned to privately educate have not entered the private school system. I know a few who planned private the whole way but are now waiting for secondary.

Tough decisions to be made? Rich people weaponising it?

This was purely an ideological spite policy, they were forced to reveal as much during the court case in that they’d been advised it would be a net loss. There’s also long term downsides to a population reducing education plurality. The same people behind the policy voted for independent schools to be closed a few years earlier and that would have cost 4 billion per year. Labour are out at the next election and I think they’re really going to struggle in any future elections being the party of education taxation.

Your point is what? Not taxing children’s education is a tax loophole? It makes no sense LOL

my two kids went private

Ok.

I had no idea private education wasn’t subject to VAT. Couldn’t actually believe it. Looking at my children’s schools and then at the private schools near us made it very clear that one was a very different situation. The private school my daughter’s friend goes to has a harpist at lunchtime once a week! I have 0 issues with them paying tax for that (nor do they incidentally).

Does this mean I think state education serves SEN children well? Absolutely not. My daughter finds a lot of things challenging for sure. But thinking state schools should do better isn’t the same as thinking people with money should be encouraged and supported to opt out.

to answer the question, the private schools I’m aware of around me that friends use are thriving. One had to increase their p1 intake and another is turning people away constantly. I haven’t heard of any closing.

More lies.

The OBR predicts it to make £1.4 billion in tax annually.

Link here: https://obr.uk/forecasts-in-depth/tax-by-tax-spend-by-spend/vat/

Even including the changes in pupil numbers with some moving from private to state it's predicted to be a net positive

And again, not education taxation, just private education taxation.

It looks like you can't defend your position without resorting to lies and misleading rhetoric.