Bursaries

[EverythingAllatOnceAllTheTime]

Merely as a footnote to the comprehensively-debated VAT on school fees, we donate several thousand per year to our children’s private school, in order to provide bursaries for less-fortunate children.

We have just cancelled these donations and are aware of other parents doing similarly. It’s genuinely sad for the kids who will lose out, but the Government need to realise there are consequences to their actions.

Just a comment - I have no plans to enter into another debate.

No, I'm not being delusional. Do you have any actual personal experiences of private schools? I appreciate that some of them are like Eton or Harrow, raising arrogant little Borises. Many are not. I would never send me child to a private school like this and parents who have kids in those schools would never send their children to a private school like ours. Our school is very racially and socially mixed, with about 50% of kids on bursaries or scholarships. There is a sense of "togetherness" and "helping those who are less privileged and needy". It's a big part of the school's ethos and this is what my children have been taught. With the school now drastically reducing the bursaries, they will be taught this principle less and will be surrounded by more rich kids able to afford the school instead of a mix of kids. So private schools will become more elitist and the social divide and ill grow. It will become 'us versus them" now. Please don't paint all these schools with the same brush. They are not all the same and my comments would make sense and look less silly if you actually spent a day in my children's school and met the children and who go there or listen to one of the assemblies

Why did we stop funding bursaries? Can you see how perverse that would have been? HMG penalises us but is happy for us to subsidise the education of other children?

Really not following this logic. Are you saying that you are punishing the government by refusing to fund bursaries any more? How does that punish the government? It only punishes the potential bursary kids. If those kids have to go to state than your VAT will fund that, no skin off the government’s nose.

(Also, I really hope that the school is doing its best to stop your kids inheriting the rudeness of their mother, your tone is awful.)

By the way I am a private school parent who voted Labour and am happy to pay the VAT. Don’t consider myself to be being punished.

Oh yes, DC's private school has been fostering the sense of us and them for years - I lost count of the number of charity projects and fundraising DC did for "them" as part of "us, lucky, privileged" (single parent's child on scholarship, privileged indeed). It is definitely the private school's fault to foster this "us and them" feeling, I totally agree. It should of course be "I, me, mine", that's much better now, thank you.

I think the class division is deeply rooted in history, politics and culture so it's been here for centuries, you just didn't pay attention. It's shocking though that people abandoned the very basic decency.

Ah yes all those opportunities that my state school educated children have had because of charitable activities of private schools - oh wait that’s a no!! Or maybe it’s all those opportunities I and my state educated friends had growing up because of the charitable activities of private schools? Err that’s a no!! Oh wait maybe it’s the doors that are opened to us in terms of internships because we know people who went to the same private school 😐

Its not the school itself necessarily it’s the multiple tiered education system in this country that exacerbates social class differences and privilege.

Agree and education system in this country exacerbates it.

As my DC1 went to state, I still receive tons of newsletters - Oxbridge does programmes available to state pupils only, as well as many other organisations. Yes, there are LOTS of opportunities, I don't know why you couldn't be bothered, but it's entirely up to you.

And yes, DC2 school's fundraising helped with bursaries - even if not for you personally. Also helped with costs at state schools.

We were not talking about opportunities though - you laughed about the sense of us and them and I laughed in return.

Its not the school itself necessarily it’s the multiple tiered education system in this country that exacerbates social class differences and privilege.

Well, eliminating the middle class won't help tackle the problem of privilege and inequality, I'm afraid.

I do know where you are coming from, but my son’s school co-funds an entire state sixth form college and provides teachers for it (they teach at both schools). That seems like a pretty good charitable project to me.

@Shadesofbllues For the sake of fairness (I overall support what you say) but don’t ever assume Eton and Harrow boys are all like Boris! My DD has wonderful friends who went to one of these schools and they are sensitive, kind and lovely people who come from families who aren’t awful or stinking rich. Several went on bursaries and are a talented bunch. People like Boris in public life are the exception and easy to point at.

Boris was a scholarship kid at Eton...

You are absolutely right. What she meant is the perception of these schools. There are some gorgeous kids at both no doubt and it's not fair to impose these generalisations on them. Want she meant is that there are many private schools that are not as posh, very down to earth and full of "normal" not rich kids. This exactly what I would say too!

My ds is a recipient of such help. 50% of his fees are paid.

He will complete his academic scholarship. The school has already committed to maintain the fees reduction for his sixth form years so he will scrape through, just.

I feel so sad as well for those coming along behind him who won't get the chance. I hope Labour put enough money into state secondary schools to give significant increases in resources.

What a spiteful thing to do.
I think OP has demonstrated nicely the kind of person your child would be mixing with at private school.

Bravo!

Nailed it.

I stand by my original post.

Let it play out.

By the way.

The ‘rich’ are going to be poorer but the ‘poor’ are going to be much poorer. And yes, that means you ‘Bloater’!

Let’s bring it on. Showtime!

Do people who spit in their acquaintance's face "the rich bastards finally got it" demonstrate the kind of people children would be mixing with in state? Hmmmm...

You’re coming across as completely unhinged now.

Seems rather bah humbug but it's your cash and your decision.

I suppose a bit poorer due to the fee increase but it'll be fine. Thanks for your concern.

You really should get over the obsession with me - it’s not healthy.
Jog on.

Agreed, thanks.

Why the need for the name calling? It's rude and childish.

Why the need for the name calling? It's rude and childish.

It’s almost like money buys entitlement, not manners.