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

[Liikklu]

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.

There is a big difference between 5% and 20% on school fees. Despite what everybody on here thinks… not everyone who sends their kids to private school is an absolutely loaded posho. A lot do scrape by to be able to afford private school and some choose it instead of their local state ones because they very poor results.

OP I have heard that there will be some re-modelling done by schools so it won't be 20%. I would recommend you speak to your school. I was also concerned and have talked to my children today about moving our business and leaving the UK. There really isn't anything here for us anymore.

So can the parents whose kids go to private school please get a refund for the state school place they not using?

OP, if I were you I would call the school and ask them what their plane is. I’ve been looking for DC and a lot of parents have asked on open mornings. Some are restructuring things so fees aren’t passed on for a few years and others are absorbing half of the costs so the rise is by 10%. It is daunting though as school fees far exceed inflation by terms of how much they go up each year anyway before this. Some schools offer “school plan” so you can pay monthly - maybe worth asking the school if they could look into that instead of paying termly or ask about bursaries if it’s really unaffordable. However I imagine a fair few other parents will be in the same boat.

@Karensalright you are not the good person you think you are. It is pretty obvious. The only place you won’t find a choice of private or state is in communist countries. They want their kids brainwashed so some of us do not want that. Also, we pay six figures in tax each year so that should be plenty to have a good state provision. It is a matter of principle for me. I am not a cash cow.

I put two children through private school, not one parent wasn’t middle class and well off. The idea there are all these hard up people struggling is nonsense. I work with actual disadvantaged families. The two worlds are far apart. People will cut their cloth/ get into debt/ ask family for support before moving.

One thing that I feel is overlooked is that the kids in private schools pay twice. They pay the taxes that fund state schools, and the pay school fees on top. So if the children leave private education and go into the state system, they will not be bringing any more funds with them, so the state schools will be even further stretched.

And these parents probably pay more tax… therefore contribute more to the state schools

Couldn’t have said it better myself

There is only one very small private secondary school in NI. And you know what- we survive and have the best academic results. Maybe learn from your union member 15 miles across the Irish Sea.

I don't imagine a quid would go far.

I'm not aiming to winding anyone up. I am explaining that despite people saying things like 'I won't be happy if I can't do a job I love' because their child may have to leave boarding school and need looking after at home, government policy does not take those kind of individual circumstances into account. It is, supposedly, based on a philosophy of creating a long term greater good in society. I gave an example of a Tory policy and linked it to their political philosophy and the effects of the policy on different groups and said this is a Labour policy based on their very long-held position on private education - although this is a very watered-down policy given where they once stood which was for abolition of it.

How would you feel about the school becoming an academy - a state school but with more freedoms? They could keep their staff and specialisms.

It’s £8,000 per child per year. Tax payers money.

LOL. Please share the studies that show “holidays, a planned renovation, takeaways, nice meals out and new clothes” have a greater impact on a childhood of exploration and fun than reading? My child LOVES to read and she would be giddy with happiness if I built her a library than took her to Turkey for a week in the sun. A love of reading is a greater gift to a child than an open plan kitchen diner 🙄. As for other enrichment activities - museum visits, walks in the woods, library visits, swimming and playing are all free or close to free.

As for whether private school kids are happier or not, I have no idea.

Your question makes no sense in the context of the statement I was responding to or my response.

I have little sympathy as all the private school parents I know look down on the state sector - often without ever being in it or only primary. There is a huge perception amongst them that their child would be dragged down in state. I also know amazing kids in state high schools who would absolutely love smaller classes, amazing sports facilities, sports every day with specialised sports coaches etc. But reality is that they are on free school dinners & suffer period poverty.
The gulf between them is massive & heartbreaking. Mine are state educated at a great comp and I can pay for sports / music etc but most can't.
I'd like that VAT money to help level it out a bit

This is one of the most depressing threads I have ever read on here (and have been here >18yrs)
youngest is heading off to uni so reading (full disclosure, as apparently required) to understand both sides of a debate that doesn’t directly affect my family.

Or, to put it another way, less than half the average cost of a private school place. Not hard to see why the quality gap between state and private education is so huge, is it?

Erm, I didn’t say he was!

None of which would make me think a child is an intellectual heavy weight 🙈

@Bululu well i have not been personally offensive towards you.

My kids attended state education. They are not brainwashed they have excellent critical analysis skills and are emotionally and financially successful.

At a guess that is about how involved I was in their up bringing , so I could easily counter any nonsense they came across, about views I might not agree with as is so in life.

to me your voice sounds quite small and a bit numb.

Private school fees in this country main cities are very expensive to begin with. Parents pay a lot more than in European countries with may be except Switzerland.

Stop buying fancy coffees and cancel your Netflix, soon get those increased fees covered

@Karensalright I am not imposing my choices on you. You are wanting to take away the choice from families who for any reason prefer to use private school. You sound totalitarian? To take those choices away comes with consequences like seen in Cuba.

The VAT will only apply on some components of the service, not all (the termly bill being made up of numerous things) so it won't be 20% straight, it will be less, how much less, don't know yet.