How much are private school fees increasing this year at your school?

[Roomgigi]

It's that time of year again... how is everyone's school fee increase looking?
I'm hoping for under 5% (secondary)

Very interesting thread (thanks OP) and the regional disparity in fees is eye opening. We're south east based (not London) and looking into Secondary Day places and most are c£32-39k a year and with 5% yoy increases it's fair to assume we'd be paying £50k pa before finishing our schooling years. I'm sure for some this isn't a big deal but it does make me wonder how sustainable any of these schools are going forward.

Certainly at my previous prep school, all the mummies were keen to be classroom assistants and I'm convinced it was for the staff discount - even if it were pro rata for part timers or staff vs teachers, it would make a difference, especially if you had 3 DCs which many did.

Over the years, other colleagues been open that the staff discount was a factor. At my first school, that was certainly the case for the head of history's children and at my last school, a colleague gave notice when his DC reached yr6 since they would be going to a different school for yr7. As it happens, these DCs were all able bods and contributing positively, as were their parents.

Staff discounts are a tax efficient form of remuneration; staff do not pay income tax on the value of the discount. They also don't pay VAT on the value of the discount, therefore do not pay income tax on the value of the VAT. And, of course, preferential admissions to an oversubscribed school is also valuable. These things allow schools to pay lower wages and keep tuition down.

No.

Actually, I think this is variable across schools.

Im a teacher at at independent school and pay as follows :

If my DCs were at my own school, fees would be deducted before tax, thus I don’t pay benefit in kind tax on these. However, I do pay the VAT.

As I work at a boys’ school but have a daughter, my DC goes to the girls school within the same foundation. I pay reduced fees for this; however, they include VAT and the reduction is taxed as a benefit in kind.

Thank you. I hadn't realized that you needed to pay VAT on the full school fees, not merely the reduced fees. I also didn't think it was common for teachers to receive reductions at schools other than the one where they teach.

Regardless, the discounts themselves are clearly remuneration which schools can use to keep down wages.

Yes, totally.

you can often get reduced fees at other institutions if you’re part of the same trust or foundation , for example teachers at GDST (girls’ day school trust) schools often get reduced feed at other GDST
schools.

it’s a good salary perk in an institution that otherwise has crap salaries ! Rubbish for childless teachers though. Or for most teachers, who still wouldn’t be able to afford fees even with a reduction. I’m only able to do this because my husband has a much better salary than me (he’s not a teacher).

That’s nice.

Then when the perks are restructured in keeping with the unprecedented times and in order to keep annual fee hikes down for FULL fee paying families.

You will accept the charity commissions advice to the independent sector that monies are for the disadvantaged, gifted children of society post assessment and pay the MEANS TESTED fee remissions all (bar staff) are calling for.

Perks and contracts of the past are absolutely not sustainable now. Schools are closing and merging as they have no hold on their budgets! Just keep asking (demanding) families pay more each year! For diluted quality and cancelled, scrapped co curricular and trips.