Page 10 | If you’re charged VAT will you remove your child from their private school? I’m v stressed!

Liikklu · 2024-05-27T17:05:17+00:00

We won’t be able to pay the increase. Only hope is asking grandparents for the shortfall which we don’t want to do. Anyone else in a similar boat? Do you think it will literally be a 20% increase on fees or will schools absorb some of it? Our school has said they will address the matter ‘if and when’ it applies.

BaBaBlackBerry9 · 27/05/2024 21:49

Thegreatergoodgerald · 27/05/2024 19:03

I dunno, the same reason tone deaf private school parents keep posting on AIBU rather than under Education or Boarding School boards I suppose??
Besides, according to a lot of parents using these businesses WE should ALL be concerned as our schools will be flooded with little Henry and Henriettas taking up state schools places and kicking us plebs out of the good ones…

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The only thing is, you can't support adding the VAT onto private school places, and then be upset when the private school kids come back to state schools.

How else would you like this to play out, any other options?

thirtyseven37 · 27/05/2024 21:50

Navymamma · 27/05/2024 19:00

Our school is being very vague - just we will wait and see what the policy is. No survey of parents but it is a highly selective school and students travel far and wide to attend. We have heard that they are expecting a 17% increase in fees. It will cripple us but DD is in reception and we will forego holidays, a planned renovation, takeaways, nice meals out and new clothes to keep her at the school. The school is absolutely worth it - she loves it and is already reading at year 4 standard and hasn’t even finished reception. To hedge our bets, we are in the process of moving house so we will be in the catchment area for an outstanding secondary school just in case we need to move her for secondary.

Who told you she's reading to a year 4 standard? She might be able to read the words but she won't have the comprehension required to be the standard of a year 4 student. Reading is more than just decoding the words. I seriously doubt she could read and understand all the words from the NC year 4 word list such as occasionally, particular, although, enough, frequently.

BaBaBlackBerry9 · 27/05/2024 21:51

Nextweektoo · 27/05/2024 21:27

I work in the public sector and will have to switch to being a contractor as will many of my friends in order to afford this increase.

I would check the market before jumping to do this...the economy isn't booming.

Richard1985 · 27/05/2024 21:51

It was a while back now (about 20 years) but I had to leave private school due to my mum being made redundant

I’ll admit it was hard at first but in the end I settled in really well and ended up feeling much happier in the local comprehensive and felt much more at home with the people there

I hope that allays your fears a little bit. All schools have good and bad kids, just keep your little ones on the right track and they will be fine

Catlicker · 27/05/2024 21:53

Yet another ‘panic panic’ Labour post. If you can’t afford to send your kids to private school you just don’t do it. Like 98% of the population.

also living in a post London area often means the state schools aren’t as good as everyone sends private, so that argument doesn’t stack up

thirtyseven37 · 27/05/2024 21:54

Emeraldsrock · 27/05/2024 19:11

I really don’t get the vat thing. Education is not a luxury. And by opting out of state parents are saving the county money! My kids do go to a state school but I am lucky enough to live near nice state schools. My brother in law doesn’t so has opted for private.
The only thing I agree with is charging VAT for extracurricular activities as that’s what everyone else has to pay.

But you're talking like everyone can just opt for private like your brother-in-law. Private education is a luxury and you'd be in a complete bubble to say otherwise.

EasternStandard · 27/05/2024 21:55

Catlicker · 27/05/2024 21:53

Yet another ‘panic panic’ Labour post. If you can’t afford to send your kids to private school you just don’t do it. Like 98% of the population.

also living in a post London area often means the state schools aren’t as good as everyone sends private, so that argument doesn’t stack up

The op is obviously concerned about the 20% increase

It will be stressful for some

Catlicker · 27/05/2024 21:56

We have heard that they are expecting a 17% increase in fees. It will cripple us but DD is in reception and we will forego holidays, a planned renovation, takeaways, nice meals out and new clothes to keep her at the school. The school is absolutely worth it - she loves it and is already reading at year 4 standard and hasn’t even finished reception

what a joke.

sacrificing a childhood of exploration and fun for a private school. To what end? Are private school kids happier?

and sure your 5 year old is reading at a level of a 9 year old. Even if she is - who gives a fuck, they’ll all be able to read at some point

Timeandtidy · 27/05/2024 21:58

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The irony!

IsEveryUserNameBloodyTaken · 27/05/2024 21:58

NeverHadHaveHas · 27/05/2024 21:40

Search her username. She’s a new poster and one who is apparently only here to bang the anti private school drum but can’t formulate any decent arguments of her own. So, she’s just resorting to spite 🤷‍♀️

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I see yes.

80smonster · 27/05/2024 21:58

Roundroundthegarden · 27/05/2024 20:00

We had a 9% increase a term or two ago so I think our school is trying to build up that buffer already.

Sounds like we go to the same school.

Theyhadsomehoneyandplentyofmoney · 27/05/2024 21:58

Thegreatergoodgerald · 27/05/2024 21:33

None, but only the truly dense would compare the two.

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😂🙈 Some might say it’s only ‘the truly dense’ who think a comparison was being made.

I’ll help you out - if Labour remove the principle of VAT being exempt on education, where fees are charged by private schools, what is stopping them from doing the same on any other education for which there are fees?

Panic not yet. But something to consider for the future. Maybe start saving now.

NeverHadHaveHas · 27/05/2024 21:59

thirtyseven37 · 27/05/2024 21:54

But you're talking like everyone can just opt for private like your brother-in-law. Private education is a luxury and you'd be in a complete bubble to say otherwise.

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Where has she said that? Where has she said everyone can opt for private education? She hasn’t even implied that let alone said it!

thirtyseven37 · 27/05/2024 21:59

bobsghost · 27/05/2024 19:55

We have a DD in a prep and a younger DD who we hope will join her next year. We're expecting a fee increase of at least 20% - the fees go up by about 5% anyway in a normal year and the school said they will try to not pass on the full VAT increase, but with the normal increase it would come to 20% or more anyway.

We're fortunate to have assets that will cover the fees for their time at school (prep and senior) so while the numbers will make us wince, it won't change our plans. Unless the school's numbers reduce so much that it becomes enviable, or even if it ends up with such low numbers that it affects the experience (not enough dcs for social interaction and extracurriculars). We're in North London where there are plenty of other preps that we could move our dcs to if our school closed, so we'd be looking at other private options before considering other state schools.

How do you have so much money? Just curious.

curious79 · 27/05/2024 22:01

Nosleepforthismum · 27/05/2024 18:58

Just wanted to say OP, that I and my two siblings were moved from a very expensive private school to a quite a rough state school when my parents got divorced and it was surprisingly fine. We all made friends (that we still have now), did well in our exams and are financially successful. I know this is only anecdotal but if it ends up being the worst case scenario where you cannot afford the fees, it won’t be the end of the world.

This!!! Even now it is clearly leaving you incredibly stretched with no wriggle room paying for fees, let alone with VAT on top. Relieve yourself of the burden and go state. If you need, pay for some extra tuition. I've never understood people who stretch themselves to the limit just to send kids private. [I went private, hubby was state, 3 kids done private and state]. Your kids won't grow horns

NeverHadHaveHas · 27/05/2024 22:01

thirtyseven37 · 27/05/2024 21:59

How do you have so much money? Just curious.

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How on earth is that relevant or any of your business??

80smonster · 27/05/2024 22:01

Catlicker · 27/05/2024 21:56

We have heard that they are expecting a 17% increase in fees. It will cripple us but DD is in reception and we will forego holidays, a planned renovation, takeaways, nice meals out and new clothes to keep her at the school. The school is absolutely worth it - she loves it and is already reading at year 4 standard and hasn’t even finished reception

what a joke.

sacrificing a childhood of exploration and fun for a private school. To what end? Are private school kids happier?

and sure your 5 year old is reading at a level of a 9 year old. Even if she is - who gives a fuck, they’ll all be able to read at some point

Wow. What massive minimising of one of life’s greatest life skills. The sooner kids can read the sooner the gateway to all other learning is open. It’s not rocket science. I’m currently watching a 6 year old tear through Roal Dahl classics. It should be the same for all kids, let’s not get this the wrong way round now.

Bululu · 27/05/2024 22:02

@Nmchnger How rude and you are teacher at a state school. You would be one of the reasons my kids go to private.

JustTooMany · 27/05/2024 22:03

Thegreatergoodgerald · 27/05/2024 18:26

Ask your school. The 90 odd percent of people who don’t use private schools don’t know, and don’t care!

You sound jealous and bitter. Maybe avoid topics that upset you.

Marine30 · 27/05/2024 22:04

aiak · 27/05/2024 18:32

I won't remove mine as it'll be just one year of sixth form.

However, I am disgusted by Starmer's hypocrisy on this matter. He sent his own children to a rather lovely state primary school. Loads of that catchment consists of houses in the £2million region. Like Starmer's house. Just like Blair's went to London Oratory or whatever. The state schools that politicians use are ones that most of us could only dream of. Massive inequality. Selection by price of house. Which, if we destroy our private sector, will happen more and more.

My house is probably worth about a quarter of what Starmer's is worth. I don't have access to the kind of exclusive state schools he does so I sent mine to private school (and I don't have an expensive house to show for it at the end of the education process).

The state sector obviously needs money. Why aren't we taxing those in £1million+ houses who use state schools? They could pay VAT of 20% on the value of their free state place? Seeing as it's OK to tax education and the state sector needs money. Why only tax those of us who've had to pay for private due to the shit local state options. Why not actually tax the rich people who are using state places for free, having gamed the housing situation? Like Starmer himself.

Well said. It’s a populist thing that will do far more harm than good.
Where do you think Keir and Blair went to school? Reigate Grammar and Fettes College respectively. BOTH private school educated through and through.
Complete champagne socialism.

Mummyoflittledragon · 27/05/2024 22:05

Thegreatergoodgerald · 27/05/2024 19:58

I know many private school parents are baffled by the idea but there are MANY of us who can afford to send our children to private schools - even with VAT added FAIRLY to fees- but choose not to,
do NOT think they’re better than state schools and do not think they’re the best way to educated modern children.
And our children are not in those amazing, fantastic state schools that are always in the top schools list - they’re in fault normal schools.
Getting a good education, with a diverse mix of children, in a rich environment.
It’s not all about hothousing and handholding children through exams - because that’s not real life.

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That’s nice some privileged dcs are coping in state schools. My dd isn’t. She has a seizure disability. Her heart stops beating when she has a seizure and she wasn’t coping in state school. We moved her in year 9 and she has just sat GCSEs. As is, idk if she will even make it to 6th form. She has an eating disorder. She had a seizure in A&E and the nurses don’t get the disability, which traumatised her further. She is now eating so little that she’s lost almost a kilo a week for the past 2 months. She is so tiny.

It is abhorrent we should pay VAT for her. She is severely disadvantaged and would not cope in state. I tried very hard to get her back to a non fee paying school for 6th form. If anything the state should give the money she would cost the state to her school seeing as she couldn’t cope with the provision in the state sector.

Now with the ED idk if she will even be at home rather than hospital or worse with the weight loss she’s suffering from come September. We are using dwindling savings to pay for dd’s education. We could crack open the savings and pay in advance and idk what to do because dd might not be able to even attend school at all.

Labour don’t care that dd can’t cope with state or that the fees are crippling for some people like us. I have a disability myself. I am too ill to work and have never claimed PIP because I prefer it to go to those, who need it more. I think it’s about time I did tbh.

EasternStandard · 27/05/2024 22:06

Catlicker · 27/05/2024 21:56

We have heard that they are expecting a 17% increase in fees. It will cripple us but DD is in reception and we will forego holidays, a planned renovation, takeaways, nice meals out and new clothes to keep her at the school. The school is absolutely worth it - she loves it and is already reading at year 4 standard and hasn’t even finished reception

what a joke.

sacrificing a childhood of exploration and fun for a private school. To what end? Are private school kids happier?

and sure your 5 year old is reading at a level of a 9 year old. Even if she is - who gives a fuck, they’ll all be able to read at some point

I mean you’re lashing out online about a five year old reading

WYorkshireRose · 27/05/2024 22:06

Our school have told parents to anticipate 3/4 (I.e. 15%) to be passed on. We won't particularly notice it.

JustTooMany · 27/05/2024 22:06

Thegreatergoodgerald · 27/05/2024 19:09

This. State schools are good, some are very good, some are ‘outstanding’ and paying through the nose for private school just isn’t buying the same privilege it used too…

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There are endless threads on here from excellent state school teachers who are very worried about what is happening in the state sector. Horrific stories of lack of resources, poor recruitment, violent behaviour towards teachers and worsening retention. It is funny how those stories disappear on private school threads.

Bululu · 27/05/2024 22:06

‘Yet another ‘panic panic’ Labour post. If you can’t afford to send your kids to private school you just don’t do it. Like 98% of the population.’

How about people stop having kids where they can’t afford to feed them or buy tampons for them? Just do not have them.