Whitehall “braced for private schools collapse” 3

[ICouldBeVioletSky]

Starting a third thread to discuss impact of VAT on private school fees, as the topic looks likely to run (and run). Though probably best to finish off the second thread before posting here, thx.

@CurlewKate yes that's right, and we were told after deadline for state school application. Not a very affluent area so only option besides this private school are state primaries. All on waitlist. Other private school is about 40mins away, not possible for us since we have to commute to work.
Definitely not well thought out.

ENT the parent group opposing VAT, got directly from ISC

And what figures are there for ex-private school pupils being excluded from state schools because of lack of places?

Well... they would say that, wouldn't they? To coin a phrase 😂

@Baital Don't be so condescending. You don't know what it took for me to come to this country. I started on an hourly wage of £17 per hour 7 years ago and have worked my way up. I've endured lots, and including racism so don't patronize me.
I know it's not a documentary. The British education system is well regarded, plenty of rich Asians send their rich children helping the industry.
If you take pleasure in children struggling, fine but don't be so condescending.

No set figures but plenty of emails from LAs about 0 spaces. A fair few emails confirming LAs having to pay £££ for taxis too

ODFOD Labour are literally refusing to gather data. Therefore ISC are only organisation capturing it.
You asked for source, that's the ONLY source!!!
Really am sick of the appalling attitude such as yours, at the end of the day each of these numbers is a child. A child turfed out of their school. Would you have the same attitude if this was state school kids being forced out of their schools and being told 0 spaces in any other school? Some of these kids are in GCSE + A Level years ffs!

Isn’t the point that there has been the initial VAT increase and then next September there will be further hikes for NI/passing on the business rate costs potentially? All into a struggling economy where lots of people including high earners are worried about their jobs anyway and cost of living has gone through the roof? I have numerous friends with 2 DC who went private who are worried about their jobs and on the face of it are high earners the country relies on and probably considered rich by MN standards as they earn a mortgaged home in London with significant equity, but to be frank, they are struggling! So let’s see what happens. I guess even in London some will have to decimate their savings/tap the grandparents but it’s not a pleasant situation for them. And I absolutely can guarantee that those switching state will be angry and not keen to optimise what they contribute taxation wise in the future. These are all part of the limited 800k taxpayers we all rely on very heavily. And that is just my group of friends and colleagues. I guess they do have options to move out of London etc but it won’t be good for tax take.

If your child isn't offered a state school place then involve your MP.

As I said, that doesn't mean you'll like the school, the theory of 'parental choice' was about as good for everyone as 'right to buy'.

But if you don't have any place offered then involve your MP.

There’s no point in being furious. Maybe we should all just move to state schools, as what the government expects.

We’ve already decided to transfer our children—we will start enjoying the benefits of the taxes we’ve been paying many years instead of shouldering extra costs any more. I feel relieved 😌. Thanks to Labour!

The more people who do this, the more "joyful" the government will be when they see the pressure piling up on the state system.

"Involve your MP". If your MP is Labour then they simply ignore any parent from independent sector!

Actually don't need to wait till September. This April we will see.

Hmmmm, well, it's a bit melodramatic.

'Turfed out of school'.

'Told 0 places' - when asked in principle? Or when the child has been taken out of school and has a legal right to a place?

There was a thread on here a while back encouraging private school parents to tell their LA that they would need a school place, even if the parents had no intention of removing their child. That was to pressure the government because so many children MIGHT need a place. Those parents weren't being expected to genuinely have to remove their child from their fee paying school.

The number of places/waiting lists are irrelevant.

If a child needs a school place - they are no longer at their private school - and isn't found a state school place then that's a problem.

Prior to that it is just playing games.

But why is it maybe, why is it down to random guessing rather than quoting actual verified figures? It's a tax that they have implemented with the express purpose of raising money for state schools, surely it's pretty important that they track the impact. I would certainly expect tracking results to always be standard procedure when implementing any new policy, most especially a tax. You don't see it as a bit odd that they're not collecting the data? Especially as there are so many critics, you'd think they'd want to be able to point to the figures in order to show they were right all along. And if they do discover it's not having the result they intended (which does of course happen, even with the most sensible policies), they can then amend their approach. They obviously wouldn't want to be damaging children's education if it's not bringing any benefit, would they?

? I had a good response from my MP when DD wasn't given a place quickly enough, being out of education.

This seems to be hearsay and self reporting.

If your child is being excluded from education because of a lack.of state places contact your MP. Then go.public if your MP won't help. I am sure the Mail or the Telegraph would love to hear.

But no point in doing that until you are actually in that situation, because your LA doesn't have to promise or provide anything if you are just posturing.

@Baital Of course parents have reached out to MP. People were very frantic when the announcement was made. Nothing has come from it, we're told to be on waitlist and that we should know in due course. That's all. It's a Labour MP but I've not seen a lot of support to help us find spots.
My reason for sending to private was the other closest option to my house was a state school that was shut because of structural issues.
My only other option is to move to a new location but state schools in the area that would work for us in terms of job location are WAY too expensive for us.
I understand that people don't care as they say the number of children affected is too small but given this is my DC, I'm dismayed by this poorly thought out policy.

@RedRidingGood so the school was in a sound financial position -but suddenly closed entirely because of VAT? Before the impact of VAT was known? Fair enough.

@Baital My suspicion is that there are too maybe children who have been left "school-less" so the MP can't help even if he wanted to, as in the case of my DC private school a total of 160ish children. Maybe in your case it's just your DC or a few children. This is a large number of primary aged children, in my case. The school my DC is on the waitlist for said I'll know by Aug, so in limbo,

I am not surprised. Monitoring costs money. I would rather that money went to the vast majority of children in state education than the minute numbers who will be affected.

I see a lot of private school parents threatening to move their children, but it is just threats. I see a small number of sad face stories in the media about a child who has been 'turfed out' of their private school and (horror!) going to state school.

I haven't seen any stories in the mainstream media about a child having to.leave private school and then not being offered a place in a state school.

And given some media outlets are very much against this policy, I can only conclude that it hasn't happened, and that any child being removed from private school and requesting a state place has been offered one.

Well, you can't expect the LA to fix a problem that hasn't happened yet. If your children are still in school then they don't need a state school.place.

@CurlewKate yup, what I was told is - the VAT made quite a few people pull out of the school, and not enough signed up to replace- again not an affluent area of UK so I think impact is greater.
I'm a foreigner here so I have zero political affiliation, my existence is just day by day to make something good out of mine and my family's life.

? August?

Is your child in school at the moment? Or out of school?

@Baital what do you mean? The school will shut and the children need places from September onwards but no local spots available? I get that you're enjoying this but to me it's a badly thought of policy. What if there are no places for my DC come September ?

"And given some media outlets are very much against this policy, I can only conclude that it hasn't happened"
You won't accept anything to the contrary will you?
I am telling you it has happened, there is evidence it has happened. You are doing exactly what Labour have done ie gaslight + ignore. That's why they are being taken to court and paying 4 x QCs at the expense of the taxpayer.

@Baital My definition of school less is that on Jan we received the notice that the school will shut in six months. That the children will need a new school come September. So for children who start in September eg reception they don't have a spot as the application for state school has closed. Almost impossible to get a spot for older children in Sept in our area. English isn't my first language so hope I'm explaining well :)
You sound like you're from the Labour Party, if so happy for you to reach out to me via DM if you can help the children in any way,