Play date with mum who agrees with education tax

[BonnuitMy]

Please let me know if I’m overreacting. I recently overheard a new mum at school talking about a local private school closing down due to the education tax and how this is somehow a good thing. She’s now invited my DD for a play date, would you accept?

14 years of state sector uderfunding. Increasing gap in spending by per pupil

But vat

“14 years of state sector uderfunding. Increasing gap in spending by per pupil”

Well precisely! But Labour have been in charge for a year now and done NOTHING substantial for state education. They tried to use private school VAT as a distraction to fool the masses. Outrageous all round.
Where is the money for our children who were MASSIVE FAILED DURING COVID and made real and long term sacrifices?!

One year! And they haven't managed to undo 14 years of damage!!

It will take time.

Where is the Covid money? Ask the Tories.

They have managed to close a few schools and push13 thousand children into the state system. So not off to a great start.

Applying VAT was in their manifesto

Schools close all the time, both private and state.

Not necessarily.

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/is-vat-on-fees-really-to-blame-for-private-school-closures/

Where is the Non Dom billions @TopPocketFind - stop defending ANY of these politicians. They DO NOT care about children because children is a long term investment concept and they think short term vote me in/popularity. Do not be such a fool.

The Brexit vote was in the manifesto!!!! Of The Tories!!!

Using capital letters do not make your arguments any better

Is that all you have got?

https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/25260934.samuel-leeds-builds-school-beaconsfield-home-9-pupils/

Are they going to try and stuff this guy for VAT?
Hehe, they cannot, as he probably charges zero fees.

One year! And they haven't managed to undo 14 years of damage!!

No they haven’t. In fact, they’ve managed to make it worse. The prediction is that it will get worse still. State schools are already having to get rid of staff.

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/apr/10/england-secondary-schools-staff-budget-cuts

They’ve cut funding for STEM subjects, languages, Latin, music, art etc. They promised that the VAT on fees would go to state schools. Most of us realised that this would never materialise. Starmer stated a couple of weeks ago that the VAT raised (if there is any raised) would go towards house building.

Ok. The entirely obviously outcome of taxing education, as predicted by the treasury, and cited as the reason for the so many schools closing is not happening? My kids will be pleased when I tell them their school isn’t closing after all.

Yes, a manifesto which only 1 in 3 voters voted for. Let’s not pretend that their manifesto had the support of most people, because it didn’t.

Your kids shool closed just because of VAT? Or were there other reasons as well?

Truss' mini budget would not have helped with those struggling to pay increasing fees.

Maybe you would like to say the same to the children of a nearby state school that is closing. Or is that just 'tough'?

Nobody likes to see schools closing but it happens every year.

When a policy fails abysmally, then deflection sets in, especially the Oh but the Tories, oh but Truss etc.
Labour have pretty much U-turned on absolutely everything. Perhaps they just are not that good at governing, much like the Tories? Under qualified for the actual job? Lacking in talent?
Perhaps we should actually discuss the glaringly obvious, why do the most talented people not go into Politics? What is it about the system that is failing? Why are they so distracted by external events? They have zero time to properly manage the actual urgent issues in the country. And no, Reform Party is not the answer, but actual reform within and getting the right people into the job and heading the big departments politically who have actual know how and years of experience in eg health or education, probably is the right answer.

Reduced pupil numbers and the VAT, I‘m sure the business rate and national insurance hikes didn’t help though.Obviously the reduced pupil numbers is because of education tax, down 27% for September.

It seems really a bit silly to pretend this isn’t happening, lots of these schools have managed for over a hundred years and haven’t survived 6 months of education taxes.The Government predicted the policy would lead to the closure of 100 schools and went ahead. I don’t understand why you’re arguing it’s not happening

I’m also not sure where you’re going with the state school comment or attempting to blame Liz Truss? It seems quite absurd.

I am not arguing it is not happening, I am saying it happens every year.

You’re implying the schools aren’t closing because of education tax and that Liz Truss is responsible for the school closures. I think that’s what you are implying anyway,

You are wrong

Ok. Well this has been fun.

But getting the right people in wouldn't be popular, @araminta1003 . Not with this lot. Because getting someone capable would cost - and that would make the capable person a posho (regardless of their actual family background: someone called Kemi Badenoch 'uber-privileged' on another education thread a few days ago!)

Opinions are like arseholes - everyone's got one. And clearly it doesn't matter to this lot whether an opinion about how to run the country makes any sense, or would work, or would make the country a better place. No, none of that actually matters: arrogant poshos only say that to get their own way.

The only thing that matters is for the opinion to come from 'one of the people', not some posho - no matter how stupid and counter-productive the opinion and resulting policy is.

Well @strawberrybubblegum - we are on the bendy u-turn joy ride Government now. Hardly better than the last lot and definitely already less popular.

my kids are older and i've come through the other end; no i did not accept play dates with: parents who smoke, parents known to party heavy, parents of certain religious backgrounds (because they were generally not going to be friends with us unless we converted). due to my dh workplace and role there were certain families who did not offer us play dates. guess what, it's all fine. you don't have to have your kids hang out with friends who's parent's have certain political views and you don't have to have your kids hang out with others who have different values.
it's all part of parenting.