Eton’s new fees

[IWantedThereThereButItsGone]

Heavens …

Eton College will pass on full cost of 20% VAT to parents

https://www.thetimes.com/article/3fbec730-288c-4a14-b91e-a042c94c7ca1?shareToken=3cff257bc445f9764343feeac522241c

It’s good that current bursary recipients won’t be financially affected (and how I empathise with those parents who must have been worried) but I wonder what the effect will be going forward. The new fees are staggering - perhaps it will change the tenor of the school?

I'm not a fan of Boarding Schools but do have sympathy for people who have decided to meet the cost if that is what they want to do. The discussions of fairness and cost are all irrelevant though; in what world are these schools charities?

They do want the boys on the B list - they wouldn't be on the B list otherwise. It is absolutely expected that up to half the boys on this list will eventually get a place because of last minute changes of mind.

A couple of schools have already closed completely, and I'm sure there will be more, however I don't think it will affect Eton one jot. It will affect the parents who are just about affording it - and several do make huge sacrifices to send boys there. It may slightly reduce the bursary pot too.

It will be interesting to see how this all pans out, and whose predictions will turn out to be correct - will it cost more than it raises, or will it pay for thousands more teachers?

I think this will just be hugely unpopular with parents but ultimately they will blame Labour, not the schools.

I thought Harrow has lots of overseas partnerships? Can’t they just use the cash from there, lower fees, not pass on VAT and finally steal all the cleverest boys off Eton? I thought they were competitors?

It's not going to be spent on more pritt sticks (which we actually do need).

It's going to be spent on an advertising campaign to hunt for more warm bodies to spend 5 minutes in a classroom, free breakfast clubs for all primary school children (which they don't all need) and nursery classes in the 'spare classrooms' (that we don't actually have).

I am a bit bored of the Pritt stick nonsense. We got a list from Year 3 onwards of a small pencil case to pack which included a Pritt stick. If you can’t get your backside down to WH Smith or Works or whatever, and buy a pritt stick, don’t have kids. It’s the same nonsense of people getting Paracetomol on the NHS to save 50p at Tesco/Asda/Sainsbury’s.

I think Eton is the perfect metaphor for all that's wrong with the rich people. Sitting on 530 million and whinging about paying tax.

Meanwhile hospices are making people redundant.

Kendodd · Today 19:40
I think Eton is the perfect metaphor for all that's wrong with the rich people. Sitting on 530 million and whinging about paying tax

Yes but think about the pleasure it gives you to criticise rich people, Eton and poshos.

I have sympathy for parents with kids at small independent schools but if you’re sending a kid to Eton you will be earning mega bucks and will barely notice this so I don’t care

The school are only paying business rates going forward. The parents who are not on bursaries of any sort who now have to fork out an additional 25 per cent from this year. And apparently they will just do it. Let’s see.

There are poor and rich people in hospices too you know. Death and cancer is horrible, but there are plenty of rich people using them who could contribute. Make it tax deductible from inheritance tax. Wait - it is already, isn’t it?

Does anyone know what Brighton College is doing? That is the commercially dynamic one with the best results right?

VAT will raise less than 1% of the education budget.

I despise Labour and everything they stand for. Taxing education is abhorrent.

To be honest, I know where they’re coming from. I don’t really feel sorry for anyone any more (adults at least), apart from those under 50 who work full time and are on less than 150k.

Ok be nice people ey

😂 is this for real.

It’s a public internet forum, not a country club. Sorry, Araminta, but you have to deal with the plebs here! I’m literally using a fork wrong with my other hand as I write this.

“You're bored? Of people who literally cannot afford to buy pritt stick or Paracetamol? What an odious little creature you are.”

@HappierTimesAhead - I actually I am even more bored of people like you insulting our intelligence. I bought 3 pritt sticks for £2 today and like I said, the pain relief is 50p!
I get the whingeing about branded cardigans for £20 each, or extortionate rent. Child benefit is £25.60 for eldest child per week. The pritt stick is not the problem. The problem is the expectation that it’s the school or NHS job to fund that stuff.

yes it will, it will clear out the paupers.

You mean fee paying spots at Eton will only be for the rich and privileged?! Surely not!

It will clear out the self made driven wannabes. School for paupers willing to put their cap out and inherited wealth only. And potentially more overseas money.
The message is they are not willing to help the wannabes at all. So go to Harrow (if they will help) or Brighton College or St Paul’s/Latymer in London.
OR they are just too chicken because the head master is off on sick leave and the new Provost aka head of governor’s is out of his depth/does not want to rock the boot on entry.
The trouble is the other private schools without deep pockets may have hoped for some back bone from this one with very deep pockets?

Anyways, I am just a desperate wannabe grammar parent too rich for a bursary and far too poor for Eton fees so what would I know?

Quite a few schools do - in China and elsewhere. It's big business and brings in a nice lot of funds. Educational colonialism...

Yes, but how much of that is made up of the valuable land and buildings in one of the most expensive parts of the country?

6500 new teachers doesn’t sound like that much…wouldn’t the money be better used helping keep experienced teachers from burning out and leaving?