VAT on private school fees

[user1486984759]

So I’m going to get crucified for this, BUT, let me get this straight:

• We pay 45% tax, thereby funding state schools
• We do not get any benefits, and those that do get priority when it comes to state school admissions
• We scrimp and save from what’s left after paying 45% tax to pay for our kids’ education
• And now the state is going to add 20% to our school fees to fund state schools
• So we pay the most to fund state schools, but when it comes to state school admissions, we are last in line

How is this fair?

It seems that in this country, the best places to be are (1) a non-dom billionaire, or (2) someone who doesn’t pay taxes, gets all the benefits, and gets priority in state school admissions. The hard working PAYE earners are screwed by parties from left, right and center.

Yep. The UK is alone on this due to Starmer using poor policy as not much else going

And yep extra burden on the state is no great thing

‘how is education a luxury’

Private Education is a luxury. Paying £20,£25,£30, £50k a year per child for private Education is a luxury.

I see we have some Lozza Fox followers on here, the ‘poor’ bedraggled son of a ‘missionary’ who’s family still somehow managed to get him into Harrow…

Paying to get national curriculum education, paying by saving the 7K state funding budget per year per pupil in addition to the personal tax contribution.

I’d say you’re more a follower tbh I have no idea what you’re referring to

I pay private school fees so that my children can have manageable class sizes, consistent subject specialist teaching, access to plenty of sports and arts, and a curriculum that really values languages and humanities as well as STEM. If that's something to be penalised as a 'luxury' then how fucking depressing.

This. But adding good SEN support, happy and respected teaching staff, and a teaching approach that puts individual children’s needs ahead of metrics.

there are some luxury bits on the fringes for us (indoor pool, access to equestrian facilities), but mostly our private prep just offers a really sound education. It is deeply depressing that this isnt available for all children because it feels like it should be f*ing basic.

‘pay private school fees so that my children can have manageable class sizes, consistent subject specialist teaching, access to plenty of sports and arts, and a curriculum that really values languages and humanities as well as STEM.’

so everything that’s in a normal state school then, but with the added ‘value’ of not having to mix with the hoi polloi?

I honestly don’t know what on earth private school parents think normal schools are like. Presumably they just take the worst headlines from Tory leaning papers and believe that.
It would be like me believing that private schools are all run by emotionally stunted sadistic child abusers who let the children bully and abuse each other unfettered, while ensuring they all learn Greek and Latin, how to ski and about the glories of the British Empire.

@Labraradabrador yes thoroughly depressing that not all children get access to Equestrian facilities. What has this country come to.
Our state school shares a pool with 2 others - the horror! But it is a council run facility unfortunately. Still needs must.

Anyway - you do you. Good for you, go private.
just don’t bleat on about the cost, no-one else cares.

If your state school has manageable class sizes, then you are lucky. 30 is not a manageable size. Anyone who thinks it is has been brainwashed.

@Dothefandangos My DC have spent half their education in the state sector, so I do have some of dea of what state schools are like, thank you. When we looked round our local state secondary, it had no extra curricular drama (outside the very few lessons), one compulsory PE lesson in the younger years and then matches for the A team only, one foreign language only, with very low numbers taking language GCSE and only two students that year taking language A level (they couldn't guarantee that A level MFL would still be available in future years). Also very low numbers for History A level. I'm not just making wild assumptions.

State school rolls are falling

Instead of this crap policy appealing for obvious reasons (see pp) we could reduce class sizes and improve state education that way

I’d far prefer that

I know lots of people in real life who have gone down the private route - dozens of families. And not one has ever mentioned SEN as a motivation or justification. Most are straight up honest and say they're attracted by the grades. And I have to say I respect them for owning it that way.
I've only ever seen SEN mentioned on MN. Curious.

I was educated in the state sector myself. I have one DC in a state school and one in a private school. My brother is a state school teacher. It’s nonsense to suggest that private school parents don’t know what “normal” schools are like. Many of us have direct experience of state schools.

Many of us do have direct experience of state education hence the move to private! Also good friends who are state school teachers, next door neighbour is HoY at an outstanding state school and send his DD private but hey I bet he has no experience of state schools either.

What are you on about? In my son's state primary school there hasn't been a specialist PE, music or French teacher for years! Class sizes of over 30. The local secondary has class sizes of up to 90!

I know at least 5 families, us included that moved from state schools to private because of mild SEN, we were lucky to afford it. I have another friend that couldn’t afford it, her son couldn’t cope with secondary state school now having some lessons at home while she is negotiating with the council to pay for a private school to meet his needs. We do exist and I would love nothing more than not having to pay in order for him not to fail ( he refused to write anything when we moved him from state school )

Perhaps you wouldn’t have turned out to be so hateful and jealous if a little extra funding had been provided to your state school. Hope your little princelings can get a better education than you did!

What I dislike the most is all parents who are rich enough / lucky enough to live near a good state school which is suitable for their children and think this is normal. And who then lectures others based on their own privileged experience of state school.

Surely if you're in favour of private education, you see it as something nice to have but which only some people can afford. It's clearly not a universal entitlement.

Adding VAT just changes who can and can't afford it, in the same way that decades of above-inflation fee increases have done. It's a bit hypocritical to act as though this proposed change is unfair, because private education has never been about fairness.

No luxury in our private schools… big classes ( London area unfortunately) State schools oversubscribed.. but pupils in private sector have more motivation to learn ( not all though)

Majority listen and respect teachers .

But the converse is so often true. I used to live in Teddington - the very definition of leafy. With a decent comp. And many very lovely houses. And yet the plethora of private schools there are thriving. Indeed we were considered weird to use the comp despite funds to the contrary. And yep my kids ended up at Durham and Cambridge. So I have no jealous axes to grind!

After SW London we moved to a rural coastal area with a frankly crap comp. We kept them in the comprehensive system with no harm done as I just said.
The trope of the hypocritical leafy area parent is such a MN thing.

https://www.timeoutdubai.com/moving-to-dubai/features-moving-to-dubai/uae-golden-visa-can-i-apply-for-golden-visa

This is what we are up against. They are trying to get all the young talent and tax payers.

People on mn forget it’s a competitive market for earners and tax that goes with it

and are blind to behaviour impacted by policies