How many kids do you know definitely leaving private for state?

[Quodraceratops]

I'd be very interested to know how many children people know of who are definitely leaving their private school for a state school - not people with plans to do so in future years, solely those definitely going now / in 2025.
For myself - large Scottish all years school, I only have knowledge of my early primary kids's classes - no-one leaving so far (but I'm guessing early primary may be less affected as Labour have been signalling this policy for a while so you wouldn't start if you couldn't afford VAT).

Oh, and the various churches. They should definitely stop pretending to be charities.

Unfortunately, they are all limited by the same historic view that a charity is just any organisation with a socially positive aim which is run not-for-profit.

Oh, the RHS too. They have paid membership to support their work, with only members permitted to visit their gardens.

They do allow school visits to their gardens (so similar to private schools hosting matches?) but certainly I've never heard of them sharing their specialised staff - as you identified 13% of private schools do - so really they're not doing at all as well as private schools.

Or do you think that plants, historic buildings and religious ceremonies are more important than education.

So those are more important charitable aims.

You don’t have to be a member to visit RHS gardens - you just pay the non members entrance fee.

And, for instance, if you’re on benefits then you and up to 5 people can visit RHS Wisley for £1 each. Almost like it’s a proper charity.

you just pay the non members entrance fee?

So... much like paying school fees?

And if you're on benefits then you and up to 5 people can visit RHS Wisley for £1.

So... much like private school bursaries?

Almost like it runs in a very similar way to a private school.

Just checked numbers. 7% of private school pupils receive a means-tested bursary or scholarship. 1% pay nothing.

I wonder what percentage of people going to RHS Wisley are taking up the £1 entrance for being on benefits? I genuinely have no idea, but I suspect it isn't very dissimilar.

Just correcting your misinformation.

They have paid membership to support their work, with only members permitted to visit their gardens.

That is untrue.

Incorrect rather than untrue. And not fundamentally different, is it?

They offer a service which you pay for. Despite being a charity.

I'm not really picking on RHS or National Trust.

Lots of charities have this structure. Donkey sanctuaries, wildlife centres.

It's pretty normal.

But there hasn't been a populist attack on those. Because... reasons...

Here is information on how RHS share their expertise, with staff and students involved in many community projects

RHS Community Outreach / RHS

Edited to add - if you scroll down that page a bit you'll find info on their free schools gardening programme too

Unfortunately, whatever OP's intention in writing, the comparison between one group of named charities with the Donkey Sanctuary has had the effect of pitting them against each other. And it seems to be spilling over into pitting more and more charities against each other in terms of their perceived worthiness (and not all descriptions of what the charities do are accurate)

I'm not sure going after actual charities or donkey sanctuaries etc. is going to win the hearts and minds of the general public over the 'plight' of private parents... if anything it might seem, erm, a little counterproductive?

What you posted was untrue - as in not based on facts.

If you want to start making absurd comparisons with a charity that welcomes 3 million visitors each year then you should at least get your facts straight.

I'm pointing out how completely stupid the 'not a charity' dog whistle is.

And here is information on how Eton share their expertise, with staff and students involved in many community projects

https://www.etoncollege.com/outside-the-classroom/community-engagement/

Just so posters can get their facts straight.

I'm not concerned about winning hearts and minds. Clearly. I'm just fed up of all the bullshit, and I'll call it out when I see it.

Maybe state school parents would like to win our hearts and minds?

When you stop laughing at that crazy concept, just try for a tiny bit of genuine self-reflection to figure out why you laughed at that idea.

@goodluckbinbin you obviously know some of the less charitable schools. At my kids' school, several of the local primary schools use the pool for weekly swimming lessons, as well as coming in at various times for music, drama, science activities etc. None of that is chargeable. It might have to be now, I guess?

Not unless they're going to drop being a charity?

Maybe you might like to consider the types of ‘charitable activities’ that some independent schools have tried to claim to understand why these ‘charities’ should be treated with a healthy dose of scepticism.

https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/private-school-charity-status-labour/

Self reflection goes both ways after all.

Quite frankly, I don't believe you. But it's not unusual for schools to imply generosity when it's not actually true and they're charging...

That paragon of unbiased truth Open Democracy, with its totally legit editor Adam Ramsey.

No chance they might have cherry picked.

And even if your school is generous @potionsmaster , they're the exception.

And even if they're not the exception, they're thinking bad thoughts whilst giving free stuff to state school kids

And even if they're not thinking bad thoughts, we 'normal people' hate those snobs anyway.

And that's the crux of it.

They are examples of how some schools think they can fulfil their charitable duties.

Trying to hand wave them away as ‘cherry picked’ doesn’t excuse them, now does it?

Not all private schools are charities.

They are some examples of some of the things those schools do. The cherry picking extends to which activities they mention, not only the schools.

For example, with the first school Wycombe Abbey, there's no mention of the 4 teachers who each dedicate 1 day a week to visit and support their partner state schools. And the 3-day residential they host for state students at the school during the summer holidays.

For the second school - Kings College Canterbury - the article is snide about them providing a breakfast club, but don't mention that they also provide "lessons in orchestral instruments, without the barrier of cost, to children at all the city primary schools in Canterbury."

It's not a difficult Google. "School name" + outreach. Having a bias and an agenda doesn't excuse them, now does it?

But it's much more fun for you to be morally superior towards those poshos than to actually check facts.

But it's much more fun for you to be morally superior towards those poshos than to actually check facts.

Ooh, tell me again about the RHS 🤣