Whitehall “braced for private schools collapse”

[ICouldBeVioletSky]

Whitehall ‘braced for private schools collapse’ due to fee rises

Worth reading the whole article, it’s not quite as alarmist as the headline suggests. But as you’d expect, gov sources are talking it all down while the ISC is ringing the alarm bell.

https://www.thetimes.com/article/e6465c9e-d462-48cb-a73e-74480059a1f3?shareToken=05bf599cd4a2376fe3ce83cdce607100

I’d be quite surprised if some of the schools near us don't fold tbh. There will definitely be a contraction in the sector, I just hope those that hold on can remain a viable concern.

If you can not afford something, you can not have it. This is something most of us came to terms with years ago.

VAT is not a tax on luxury. Caviar, cake, and first class travel attracts no VAT. Loo roll and utility bills do attract VAT.

In any case, a decent education is not a luxury.

If you can not afford something, you can not have it.

Correct. I’m not about to try to punish those who can afford something I can’t though. I can’t afford a £20m house, but I’m not about to suggest they equalise stamp duty with VAT. I can’t justify flying my family on a private jet or first class to the other side of the world, but I’m not obsessed with pushing for a 20% charge on those (which, incidentally, would probably raise quite a lot of tax).

@Another76543 I stand corrected. All that is happening us you will be paying vat.

@Another76543 you are not being punished

That doesn’t help those who could never afford private education in the first place. Those who couldn’t afford it still can’t afford it, and they do not benefit from a tax which penalises those who could afford it and now can’t. Perhaps the “benefit” is the joy they get from seeing others penalised. There is absolutely no logic to this tax, and the suggestion that the tax will raise state school standards is disingenuous at best.

@Another76543 and it becomes effective from today so everyone can stand down and discuss something else.

Still think it is a great policy.

This tax is punishing those in private education by imposing a financial penalty for choosing a certain type of school.

We pretty much retired when our youngest was 12, so we’re an outlier too.

And yes, I do find all the competitive grammar angst amusing. There’s no way we were getting involved in that, hence moving to a non grammar area.

Why do you think it is such a great policy? It is divisive, will make very little money and is likely to create capacity problems in the state sector. Children will be the ones who are most adversely affected by this. What good is there to find in it?

If they overwhelm the state system with even more children, more teachers will quit.
Unless Phillipson has some sort of delusion that all teachers ever wanted is to teach some more middle class kids and that an extra 5 lovely middle class kids and the extra work load, is exactly what those teachers have been pining for all along! Hilarious.

So at what age did you become economically inactive @SabrinaThwaite ?

Yes, you can't see the irony still 😂

I find the spite on these threads quite extraordinary, along with the inevitable claims that it isn’t spite.

Clearly I should apologise for having little choice but to enter the private sector. Sometimes I wonder if I should apologise for my elder son being disabled too.

Im just about to pay DS2’s termly bill with VAT added on. If only it would make a difference to the state sector, especially to SEN. But we all know it won’t.

Much younger than you would approve of, I’m sure.

I’ve spent the last few years working with a charity, it’s a win-win as I have skills that they can use and I find it immensely rewarding.

Right, that's it - everyone disburse and move along. @redwinechocolateandsnacks has decreed we may no longer discuss this any more!

@redwinechocolateandsnacks would you kindly advise us on what topics we may now discuss - have you produced an official list for us?

🙄

For anyone who wants to rebel against @redwinechocolateandsnacks decree:

Whitehall “braced for private schools collapse” 2 | Mumsnet

Teachers are very used to getting new children mid year. The last 5 I've had have either spoke no English, never been to school before or needed lots of academic support. A couple more won't make much difference.

VAT is not a luxury tax.

It's a general sales tax, which we had to adopt on joining EEC (and abolishing all previous sales taxes, including the old luxury tax).

Education was not taxed whilst we were in EU, because of the EU principle of no taxation on education.

Post-Brexit, we are no longer bound by that principle. Nor is there anything to prevent us having a new luxury tax.

Nope, I’m completely missing any irony. You partake in the system, I don’t because I don’t believe in a two tier state system.

Private schools giving full bursaries to bright and talented children and refugees happen to disagree with you. But what do they know, filthy rich elitist snobs.

Now we start pointing out the consequences as they happen.

We'll keep doing that until Labour are out of power.

I'm not talking about the system 😁 You're mocking another poster for exactly what you've done yourself = considering grammar schools when making decisions. And you completely fail to see the irony of the situation 😂

Sure. Because claiming your grammar isn’t just any old grammar, it’s a super special grammar and the only reason for staying in the UK isn’t being massively competitive.

And yes, I will find that amusing.

I guess we don’t have the same sense of humour.

@SabrinaThwaite
What have I posted that are ‘insults’?

Sneering and mocking is intended to insult.

Which will unfortunately be another 4 long years. So buckle up!