AIBU to question rising private school fees amid declining GCSE results

[Sidedoors]

Private school GCSE decline.

What happened? Is this an example of what’s to come?

Fees are rising well beyond inflation annually yet, results are in decline.

State schools prioritising, ‘reserving seats’ in house for 6th Form. Risky investment?

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/gcse-results-day-2026-6-key-trends-from-this-years-data/

I have no idea what you’re talking about!?

This is true. Certainly in the schools my kids have been at, most of the 'bursaries' are in fact staff discounts for the children of staff members as a way of retaining best staff members.

I think where you seem to misunderstand is in thinking we don't know this? Of course we do. It's annoying but just par for the course. I still want my kid to be in the best / nicest school I can find and until that is a state school, I'll continue to pay.

This is what makes me so furious!

You have people on these threads so obnoxious, laughing, joking, clearly not scrimping and saving to put their kids through independent school.

Its revolting.

It is for this reason people need to see the truth of Independent education the fee hikes to fund the 1 in 3 and growing who can’t afford to be there. These are real financial facts and figures that everyone is sharing (not something I’m making up).

I agree, some can. I am equally sure that some do not, including the school at which ds was allocated a place.

The fact remains that there are schools of all types that are absolutely dire, and I wouldn't send a cat there, never mind my child. We each have to deal with the hand we are dealt.

People are wising up.

Putting their own families welfare before the school growing benefits bill, To the frustration of many posting on here!

The sad reality is we live in a society in which there is a big gap between the wealthy and the not-so. There are many families for whom it's possible to pay fees without making sacrifices. For those who have had to make sacrifices, I gather the VAT increase has pushed many over the edge into the state system. I don't think most of them are making that move with a lot of happiness though?

I don’t disagree at all. It’s a shame in cases like ours where the school was great but got taken over by a “trust” and went hideously downhill whilst raising fees exponentially.

Why don’t you give a clear answer? What’s the point of this and the previous thread?

I've commented because I think there's an interesting discussion to be had here. But like others I'm a bit confused by what your point @Sidedoors is or what you actually want to discuss or achieve?

Clearly you don't agree with private education. But I'm not sure why?

Is it political reasons that you think the world would be a better place if private education were banned and everyone educated the same?

Or is it just that you think the whole thing is stupid and people who part with their cash to send their kids private are stupid?

No skin off my nose either way - I agree with the first point and disagree with the second but you don't seem keen to really have a discussion?

OPs DC is at a private school though - one OP doesn’t like but doesn’t want to move them from even though OP resents paying the bill.

But why is it so offensive that some people don't have to scrimp? Some people are filthy rich. Unless we want to completely re-write our economy, this will always be the case in capitalism. And as for those people having to subsidize those who can't afford it - them's the breaks. This is all public information, most private schools have their reports and accounts publicly accessible, people know that it's the case that their fees fund both their own kids' education + some school overhead which includes scholarships and bursaries.

This is the case in any private system.

If you have an operation in a private hospital some of the fee goes to pay for your operation, and some will go to paying a dividend for shareholders and a bonus for the hospital manager.

It's not a conspiracy.

Ohhhhhh ok.

So the OP is trying to expose the 'conspiracy' that you can pay for private and not be guaranteed top grades? And the 'hidden secret' that financial problems in the private sector exacerbated by VAT increases mean fees have had to go up in the round to make up for holes in schools' P&Ls caused by pupil dropouts and other financial hardship? And the huge surprise that private doesn't = social mobility?

Yeah that's not a conspiracy. Or a secret. Anyone with a brain and an internet connection knows these things. The information is available to all of us and we make our choices based on that information.

If OP didn't do her DD that's on her...

The wealthy don’t do cut backs

International families turn their noses up not because they’re not wealthy enough but because the provision (outside of London) is beneath them, cut backs, economising these are not places for the wealthy.

These are desperate businesses issuing begging letters which everyone is sharing.

Damaging the perception of wealth or prestige and making it clear Fee money increasing annually is going to the ever growing financial black hole.

So what's your solution? Stop private education?

The possible solution/s are where a far more interesting discussion is to be had rather than just whinging about problems everyone is well aware of.

I don’t like the cover up.

i have first hand many friends struggling with the fees, I understand these places are not the idyllic meadows of opportunity they portray.

I know many exceptionally wealthy who have just quit UK (education situation for their children being the final straw. Schools are sending out begging letter emails the wider public don’t understand this but those in receipt talk, share and discuss the reek of desperation)

It is exceptionally important to do due diligence.

No let anyone who wants to pay.

But those sacrificing, struggling, do the research don’t falll for the show. There are major financial problems and fees are not going on education. That 1/3 benefits bill needs to be reduced. It’s gifted to middle class and school administration not deserving candidates.

I'm just not sure what your information was that you ever thought they were idyllic meadows of opportunity? They are very obviously not. No one with more than 2 brain cells believes they are.

There is definitely a lot of marketing gloss around scholarships and bursaries but anyone can read the small print and see that most of them are just staff discounts or (in the case of some top institutions) given as discretionary places to the children of influential peers, celebrities etc. It's all public information so it's not really a cover-up.

Is it distasteful? Sure. But then the whole idea one can buy a better educational experience for one's child if one has enough money is pretty distasteful. But then we live in a world in which money can buy a better house, better health, better holidays. It is what it is. The only solution is a communist takeover and I don't think the people of this country want that.

What I find a bit frustrating is people who buy into the idea of an exclusive education for their kids but then express anger that this exclusive and inherently unfair system is... unfair.

But this is already the case with university, right? On the face of it, anyone can get a loan and go to uni, but the reality is that on many courses it's not possible to work enough to get the money you need, and parents have to chip in. If parents can't afford that, bright kids have to choose universities close to home (assuming that's an option for them) so that they don't pay accommodation costs and food. The university closest to them may not be a good one. So some children are getting a better education. I'm not saying it's right, but as we accept it for university, why not school?

The university situation is even worse - it's an absolute joke. I come from Ireland, where university is free. Not only did I leave university without debt, I left with a decent chunk of savings. A country that makes it difficult to get an education has its priorities complete arse about face.

I respect the path Labour are forging

and I told all of my friends take your kids out, they’ll survive. This is an absolute joke. The figures they’re paying obscene for what? My advice get them to the local state and book a family holiday, put a couple of extra gifts under the tree this Christmas, enjoy Friday night take outs.

People have been completely duped paying thousands of pounds a month, tens of thousands a year to put other kids of the administration or middle class VAT shy through private school. Wake up!

The school administration point is a tricky one. Because it's of course very annoying. But the reality is I want my kids to have continuity of teaching staff and be taught by the best teachers. And with the cost of living crisis teaching salaries are increasingly not paying enough to make ends meet. Fees discount is a massive draw for great teaching staff to work in private schools (ie: the schools keep their wage bill down but set this off by offering discounted fees).

It's absolutely true that if you're a head teacher in a private school, a huge lever to reduce fees overall would be to reduce staff discounts. But it would also mean half your staff would walk out the door overnight, as these schools' main way of retaining staff is to effectively hold their children hostage. On a teaching salary, very few could afford full fees (£50k after tax £40k, fees of £20k... doesn't give much left for food or mortgage) so they have to stay teaching at their kids' school as long as their kid is there.

My point is, heads in private schools need to run a business and balance the books.

These Schools are businesses they can allocate and move funds as they see fit!

I can guarantee there will be plenty of stacking of discounts at play.

Schools can do what they please with their discounts it’s when payment for such comes directly from annual Fee hikes (well above inflation) that people feel aggrieved.

@MyKindHiker My DD attended 4 private schools. In 3, I cannot remember any staff dc at all. Can be used for marketing I guess but I’m not sure teaching salaries pay £7,000 a term or way more for a secondary school place. There would need to be a great discount! 50% of staff doesn’t reflect my experience.

Some schools have tens per year! It’s a very hot topic

I urge you to take your issues up with your child’s private school and/or remove them at the earliest opportunity. Your disdain for private education is ridiculous and hilarious! Who continues to pay for a service they have such an issue with as you do?