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.

I disagree with VAT on education, one of the only countries in the world to do it, most developed countries give parents a tax break as it's recognised that it frees up a state school place.
Race to the bottom, under the politics of envy of the labour loonies.

I know that his school concerted to private whilst he was there. It’s still his old school and it’s still private. Not sure why my facts are wrong?

incidentally he is named after the first labour MP and he was politically active (on the left) at 16. I therefore think he’s a hypocrite for staying on at sixth form level on a funded place.

Giving one child £100k while another gets nothing is very shitty parenting.

But no, you haven't changed my mind on VAT on school fees at all.

Agree. Treating siblings differently (irrespective of how you try to equalise things) won't end well. Send your DD to the same school as your DS.

Totally agree with VAT. What I don’t see is why it has to be passed on in its entirety to parents. Many, many schools could well afford to absorb the VAT.

So what you're saying is that because you disagree with a tax policy, you're not going to pay it not because you can't afford it but as a fuck you to the rest of us... and we're supposed to be on your side? You've actually demonstrated that as we all suspected people who can afford private school but don't want to contribute to the country's shared finances are selfish wankers. Read the fable about 'dog in the manger'.

This feels like a Harry Enfield sketch. I am just waiting for the op to post that "we are considerably richer than you".

There is no such thing as a good quality education that is available to each child for free. Charging VAT on private school fees is not going to even make a dent on the changes and reform that would need to happen to make this even semi viable.

If you think some kid condemned to attend a crap sink school has equality of educational opportunity with someone from a leafy suburb attending a lovely school with similarly well supported children then you are literally on another planet.

So instead of focussing on improving state schools, we target private schools with a policy that could seriously impact their viability and actually raise very little money. This is bonkers and the idealistic tail wagging the dog.

If your grandparents were forced to leave school at 14 you would know that this is a load of horse shit. Good quality education for all paid for by those who are not too selfish to pay their taxes is perfectly possible.

At least you all get to have an “extra winter holiday” yay! 🙄

Your son is the one that will have lost out. Not his sister. She gets a great education at a brilliant state school plus a huge sum of money and all he gets is his memory of a school with a swimming pool and a better athletics track.

This policy was not necessarily going to affect you. You decided to use it as an excuse to favour your son over your daughter.

Outstanding or not state and private schools are not the same thing.

And also slightly ridiculous to give her 100k and kiss her off to uni!

How much is your son getting to go off to uni?

Illegal under ECHR

shame there's no poll but:

I still agree with VAT on school fees.

I was thinking this ^.

Also, if I were in your son’s position OP, I would not be happy that my sibling ended up with 100K extra in their pocket.

While (some) private schools might confer benefits in terms of smaller class sizes, extra-curricular activities and networking, good state schools also confer advantages - one of them being better teaching, and another being giving students the ability to engage with and relate to all kinds of different people.

State schools have been chronically underfunded for the past 14 years, but hopefully this government will be able to reverse some of this.

You’re focussing on the issue at an individual level- the point is that if VAT is paid on private education, the proceeds can be used to uplift educational opportunities across the board in state schools, so that all children will have a fairer opportunity to access education (rather than just those who live in proximity to outstanding schools).

Yes, I am still wholly in favor of the VAT.

Sounds like your DC are both doing well, and I’m glad to hear you’ll have more investment in the state school system. It’s vital that the majority of our nation will fight for a well-funded school system that serves all students well.

Targeting private schools with VAT is a completely separate issue to increasing funding state schools in my opinion. It's possible to believe in both as separate entities.

What you're saying is "this policy is ridiculous because rich people like me hate paying taxes" and it's nice to hear someone being honest about it for once.

Good. Parents that give a shit about education can now plough their efforts, enthusiasm & support (even if not money) into the state sector.

It's absolutely right that private schools should have VAT applied.

Beyond the basic maths of the impact, in my view it means that more parents & families that really care about education (enough to spend £20k+ on it per year) will demand better in the state sector, and use their - often loud / assertive voices - to make a difference in the medium term.

My grandparents did leave school at a very early age actually. I don't know if you've picked this up from my posts, but I'm not speaking from a position of generational privilege.

We have never ever had a system that has delivered a good education to all. It has always been hugely variable and remains that way. One look at the state school achievement league tables will tell you this (by specific school, area or even region). It's actually not necessarily related to money at all but of course you won't want to hear this. Easier to blame the rich for not paying even more tax rather than looking at the systematic issues that are widespread in the state system and the inbuilt inequality that has nothing to do with funding.

I agree with the vat. I have 3 children to support on less than you pay in fees each year.

I'm poor. I can't work because the LA can't find a school able to meet my disabled child needs. So I'm going to stay poor. I live in a bad area. All the local schools are shit. As you say those who are moving from private to state are not taking places in my local schools.

The government needs to focus on improving education for all children. It's not my kids fault we are stuck here with less opportunity for them because one of them is disabled

So…despite all the hand wringing here is an example of how it is an easily solvable problem!Why would this change any one’s mind I don’t understand…

I agree OP - both my DC go to state school but I know of several parents of privately educated kids now looking for state spaces. There aren’t enough. It’s ridiculous.

I’ve read the OP 3 times and all the updates and I still don’t understand why I’m supposed to be crying that this kid has a state school place. My kids have state school places too. They also go to an outstanding school. It’s 240 form entry - if all 240 had gone to private school instead a different 240 dc might take those places. So what? You think your dd doesn’t deserve to go to the same school as her brother and you also don’t think she should be in an outstanding state school. I don’t even know the kid and I want better for her than you do. I’ll tell you something for nothing though - if you fuck about with your dds education to make some dumb political point to actual strangers who don’t even know you are making, - then hand her a life changing amount of money while her brother, who had no say in what you spent on his education, gets fuck all then you will destroy their adult relationship. For many people their sibling relationship is the most important of their lives, and almost always the longest one you have. It’s like nothing else. You are prepared to screw them over so even when you are long dead they can’t be close, and for what? So you can say to randomers “you know my dd took a place from a state school kid for no reason” and they can smile at you and slowly move away thinking “wtf is this woman on”. You aren’t making a point against VAT - you are giving your children something to talk to their therapists about.