Read this an tell me you still agree with VAT on school fees

[Sally20099]

DS is 3 years from finishing private school which includes 2 years in the sixth form. DD was due to start same senior school in Sept. Both went to private prep but due to talk of VAT on fees, and certainty of Labour govt for some time, we actually investigated sending DD to state secondary school. Only one in the entire city is rated outstanding but DD has got a place so we have decided to send her there. It’s very good academically but obviously hasn’t got the facilities of the private option. Currently school fees are £19,300 per year (before VAT) for DS so we have saved a reasonable sum by going to state school with DD. DS will finish at his school and we could afford DD fees (even with VAT) so we will instead put £12k a year extra in savings for DD and then spend the rest of the savings on an extra winter holiday. We would have never looked at state schools without the VAT policy and instead we have taken the place of someone at an outstanding rated school. Im not posting to annoy anyone, I wanted those who unequivocally support this to see some of the consequences. We also know a reasonable number of children in DS year who can’t afford fees with VAT and are taking their children out of private and going into state - and taking more places at the limited good schools. Its probably no surprise that most families in private schools happen to also live in good areas, meaning catchment areas tend to work out quite well when they go state.

👆🏼

Fantastic!!!

This is the point I was trying to make - far less eloquently than is demonstrated in this post though. Ideology against privilege is more important than real life impact on deprived children for so many.

Yeah that’s what immediately thought 😂Especially as they are both likely to get equally good educational outcomes, but one also gets £100k. I’m sure DS will be thrilled by his parent’s choices…

But we wouldn't have a more level playing field. You don’t seriously think that just because a school is a state school, that it remotely resembles another state school? Some state schools get tens of kids into Oxbridge. Others get none in.

Do you think that Rachel Reeves went to a bog standard state school, or do you accept that her parents were teachers and they carefully selected a lovely all girls school for her to be bussed out to?

In what way? Oh sorry, you wanted me to feel 'envious'.

Your situation sounds totally unremarkable, why would it change anyone’s view? Hope you’re looking forward to the extra winter holiday though!

Don’t take the place then, stop pretending to care about deprived kids

Ah I see - no I don’t think the policy is designed to stop wealthy people accessing state schools. It is designed to make private schools less attractive, thereby reducing their market share and ultimately getting rid of the ridiculous two tier system we have in this country.

yes, in the short term it will also raise some revenue. The calculations the IFS did were based on the fact that school fees have risen steeply in recent years and it hasn’t had a massive impact on admission numbers.

Nope. I've read your post three times, and your updates, and still think VAT should be charged on private school fees. In fact, if it could be charged at a higher rate or backdated you would have persuaded me to support that too. I love the way you're trying to make out that you're virtually altruistic, sending your kids to private school so that some other 'less privileged' child can get a place at the good local school!

In the news today, according to HMRC, even the best case scenario for the VAT changes will not raise the money that Labour are supposedly spending on recruiting new teachers. There’s a significant shortfall.
They modelled 3 scenarios. None will provide the money Labour are allocating to the state sector. This means the state sector will not receive the resources they desperately need.
This policy is not correctly costed, and was reliant on people not changing their behaviour.
People always change their behaviour. State schools deserve proper funding. This is not enough.

Do bore off, another post about school fees trying to gain sympathy. It does not matter what random people on here think, it is happening, end of, get over it.

'But we wouldn't have a more level playing field. You don’t seriously think that just because a school is a state school, that it remotely resembles another state school?' @Airbrb

Exactly the point whilst not the point- middling to shit private schools cling on in existence largely because there are 'sink' state schools where parents don't want to send their children, but can't get in elsewhere. Close the private schools and focus on raising standards across the board in state. And stop thinking there is any money in education! Shut the academies down and have central funding for the education system so all schools have equal purchase power for quality teachers and resources.

No, I haven't changed my mind. Perhaps they could nationalise private schools. That would avoid the problem of school places.

I have no idea about Rachel Reeve’s educational background. Presumably that school
she was bussed out to, also was open to people of all backgrounds if it was a state school though?

I’m sure there’s a little truth to what you say, but I think it’s a darn sight better than the current state of play.

It's a red herring of a policy that lots people will support it even if it comes at a net cost to the State. The politics of envy is bonkers.

We should be encouraging the rich to pay privately for as much as possible. The last thing we should be doing is incentivising them to use state services that are often over stretched and already struggling for money. Imagine how much money Labour could raise if they could somehow incentivise more parents to pay to educate their children privately! Why does nobody ever suggest this?

It's not even trying to gain sympathy.
It reads as 'Ha Ha, poor kids will suffer because their parents voted for labour and made my life slightly uncomfortable.' And yet, it doesn't work like that. It's all a lot of bluster isn't it.

If you care that much send your child to a different school and let one of the poor, poorer children have her place at the outstanding school.

You do realise that lots of private schools closed after the credit crunch of 2008? My own city lost 3 private schools and places like Blackpool, lost their only private provider. There was also a demographic bulge running from 2004-2008 and state schools expanded to accommodate these extra children. Luckily the bulge is now working its way out of the population. There’s more capacity in the state system than many people realise.

Correct and they all fell for it.

Hard hat on for this but sometimes it’s clear why some people earn a lot of money and others don’t.

I read an article today that this will negatively impact some children with special educational needs and it could well be correct, there are countless threads on here saying how hard it is to get an ECHP and support in mainstream school. I'm quite shocked that Labour haven't considered these children that are in private school for special needs, must be a very worrying time for those parents that won't be able to afford the 20% increase.

I completely disagree, if anything I find it surprising that so many high earners don't understand why they should be paying tax on a luxury.

Agree, I suppose it does. this OP appears to think that the school place her kid has been allocated was destined for an under privileged child until they rocked up.

If they are on a full EHCP that will be paying their fees up to £17k depending on the details of the EHCP. So another made up stat.

You seem to hold a lot of value in ofsted “outstanding”. Having worked long time with a lot of schools I really wouldn’t place much value in it at all. I hope your dd is happy there though and if she got a place over someone else then so be it - that’s the way admissions work. Maybe that kid then got in to a (🤢) “good” school!