Private schools VAT

[Mum105]

do you think there is less applications for selective private schools due to vat and cost of living? We are torn which way to go. Are state/grammar schools over subscribed now!

It depends where you are based in the uk. In central London there has been an uptake in secondary private day school applications as London based families move away from boarding schools due to cost.

re the state system, it depends on the birth rate in the area as well as other factors .

The private sector most hit is the “country prep schools” with few revenue streams apart from fees income (ie no swim pool to rent out). The falling birth rate has hit the prep sector too.

Even if a state school is oversubscribed (and many have been for many years tbh) if you fit the admissions criteria and list the school you will get a place.

A very popular school near me has always had a lot more applicants (people listing it somewhere on their form) than spaces but obvs 250 YP do get a space each year.

I suggest you apply to private if it suits you and your DC, state also in case private doesn’t work out.

yes but if your child is able you can get in www.successindex.co.uk has loads of free info to understand the process.

State grammars have been oversubscribed for years.

Yes. Local outstanding catholic school
(by far the best state school within 15 miles) used to be easy to get in if you are catholic, with busses bringing kuds in from 5-10 miles away. Catchment now us under 1 mile. It is located in a very wealthy estate, the cheapest house is just over 1 million (no flats).
If you can’t afford a 1 million + house, no good state school for you!

Depends on the area but many places are suffering from low birth rates.

Certainly in London the grammars are oversubscribed and have always been.

If you are looking to go selective then why not apply to both grammar and independent? In London the state grammars have always been tougher to get into than the independents (maybe there are one or two indie exceptions but actually probably not) for the obvious financial reason and their scarcity. I'm not sure the top independents (e.g. in Hammersmith and North London) are experiencing a significant drop in applicants tbh, but I think others are even if they obviously don't want that to be well-known.

Could state boarding be an option? Probably cheaper than local Indie. Reasonably academic, but with so many other benefits.

There hasn’t been any noticeable change in our area (South East).
Popular state schools have always been over subscribed and, whilst we thankfully don’t have grammars in our area, I would hazard a guess that they have also always been over subscribed.
House prices have always been more when in a good location but I have noticed prices in my area dropping a bit as things aren’t selling.

Some grammars are 5 applications per place and some are 20 per place (eg QE Barnet). The information tends to be available publicly. Divide the number sitting a test by the places and work out the percentage. In grammar areas like Bucks and Kent it tends to be less competitive. Some private schools are still fiercely competitive but nothing like 20:1. Assume you can call and Admissions department and ask them the question directly?

We're in north London and I've noticed that local prep school destinations include more grammars this year (it used to be very rare for students to go to a grammar from a prep, at least in our local preps). But also more students getting into the more selective indies (e.g. top 8 schools, in the past there were more students going to mid-range indies, e.g. top 30 schools). So it seems that it might be easier to get into the highly selective indies in terms of applicants, but they are still oversubscribed . There is a lower birth rate, more families moving out of inner London and yes, the VAT. But there are still enough wealthy families here to fill the spaces, for the top schools and it is never going to be easy to get in, but those who might have just missed out on a place in the past now have a better chance.

If you are torn which way to go, you can keep your options open and apply to both. Then you can make a final decision when you have all the information (ie you know which schools your child has offers from).

It really depends on the area some state and grammar schools are still very oversubscribed. Costs are definitely making some families reconsider private schools too. AFIS has some general info on education options if it helps.
https://www.afis.org.uk

We’re seeing the same where we are (South West London). Quite a few families we know who originally planned on private are now seriously considering grammars/selective state because of fees + VAT.
What’s surprised me is how much “hidden” spending there also is around the 11+ itself now though - some children seem to be doing multiple tutoring sessions a week from Year 4 which quickly becomes thousands.
We’ve ended up doing more of a middle-ground approach with our twins: one tutor session a week plus regular practice at home using papers and online resources, which has honestly been much more cost-effective for us. I actually think consistency and understanding exam technique matters more than throwing huge amounts of tutoring at it.
The grammar competition definitely feels intense now though, especially around London.
Happy to share some of the practice resources we’ve found useful if helpful.