State school waiting lists and rising independent school costs

[AntediluvianViews]

Congratulations all parents/carers who have secured placement for their families in Outstanding or good state schools over Independents for the coming years.

Oh how jealous we private school parents are!

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/07/21/new-education-secretary-backed-more-taxes-on-private-school/

Hoping to secure a place currently on waiting list. Fingers crossed! It’s going to be a long (costly) three years ahead at all independent schools! Enter - Lucy Powell and Labour 3 years to go. Lucy Powell.

Not sure what you are on about and I can’t read that article as it’s behind a paywall, but schools where I am, and in many other parts of the country, are undersubscribed and infants schools are at risk of closing through lack of pupils - two village schools near us have already closed.

Agree. No idea what the point is. Lucy Powell has her beliefs on equal education for all. She has kids in state system and is a product of it herself

The state system is not equal for all. Labour MPs have a knack of getting their children into very high performing state schools that are not an option for most people. Lucy Powell herself attended a state sixth form that got multiple people into Oxbridge each year. I am not sure if my school ever did and mine was the better of the two state schools in my town by quite a bit. It is very easy to be principled about state education when your children get to attend good schools without having to pay for it.

I don’t live in a village.

Talk amongst parents is their happiness to have their children in great state schools, excited for September. Talk amongst the parents of the school my dc attends is the worry of how to cover next years fee increases.

The observation is that of the state/private divide for September. There are definitely waiting lists for the good state schools here and there have been long before VAT.

It’s a lottery. There are some fantastic state schools. I suppose that’s why at point of house hunting “great school catchment” is often so desirable.

Those who planned ahead are definitely in the best position now. A couple of years ago private schools could never have imagined this current financial situation. Neither could parents who signed up. I wish I had put my children to a great state school. Now that will be harder to achieve as it’s what so many are seeking.

Good state schools attract interested parents, which contributes to rising house prices, which in turn makes the school more exclusive, which attracts parents... and the cycle continues.

My DDs school is currently building extra classrooms etc, following a PAN rise two years ago, and another one planned. It was 180 a few years ago... currently 240. (Rises in 2021 and 2024). Will eventually be 300 apparently.

Presumably those “great state schools” in your area existed when you decided to send your child elsewhere. But it’s a free country and you made your choice, though unfortunately for your child it might have been the wrong choice if you can no longer afford it and the “great state schools” in your area are unaccountably full. I wonder what the conversations were about between the parents when you made your choice?

Small classes. Latin. Better sports facilities. The new science block. The on site drama centre. Extra curricular activities. Extended days. Skiing trips. Smarter uniforms. Russell Group university destinations.

I doubt if they were voicing concerns for the children in the “great state schools” , not to mention those in not so great state schools, who couldn’t access the advantages some parents thought were worth paying for.

It’s a bit rich ( if you will excuse the term) to start a bit of a whinge when it turns out that you thought you didn’t need a safety net because you had bought your way out of danger but have now discovered that the holes in the safety net are much larger than you thought, and some children, hopefully not yours, are falling straight through.

And yes, I do know that parents paying private school fees are also paying for state education through taxation. As incidentally are all the other taxpayers who don’t have children in education.

There are huge misconceptions about why people choose private schools - every time this topic is discussed the vitriol comes out. My children board as their dad is in the army. We have lived in 10 houses in my 13yos life. Boarding gives them stability. Other people choose private as state cannot meet SEN needs or they are single parents who need the support of longer days to carry on working and not claim benefits. Others gain scholarships or bursaries. I want every family to be able to access the education they need to succeed - it shouldn’t be a race to the bottom.

All those examples are valid ( except possibly the single parent one which imo is a bit of a stretch) and I apologise to the OP if they apply to her family. Though since she didn’t mention them in any of her posts……..

Have they actually looked at the demographic trends? We have schools that were oversubscribed a few years ago that are now struggling to stay open, despite being rated OFSTED Excellent. Our infants went from being hugely oversubscribed to having just 12 in reception this year. Granted our area might be affected worse than others but it will happen everywhere, and sooner rather than later.

Very positive news.

Lets hope this will become the norm up and down the country.

Planned expansion due to house building in the area and the number of children in the official feeder Primary schools.
Thers planning permission for a new Primary aswell.

My DD's secondary is undersubscribed. They had a bulge class only about 5 years ago. There are now spaces in nearly every year. Her primary that was oversubscribed now has a 'spaces in years....' waving from the school railings. The quality of these schools hasnt altered. It is demographic trends.

There is no vitriol towards private school users on this thread. People make the best choices for their families from those available to them. For the majority that doesnt include private school - it is too expensive and has been long before VAT.

We'd like a few more students at my DD's state secondary. Fixed costs dwarf cost/student.

What a dull discussion !

Manchester & Stockport - virtually all state schools have spaces this year for entry

I can’t read the article linked to

What age is your dc @AntediluvianViews?

why are you on a waiting list? What’s changed that you now want to swap from private education to one provided by the state?

Talk amongst parents is their happiness to have their children in great state schools, excited for September. Talk amongst the parents of the school my dc attends is the worry of how to cover next years fee increases.

This talk has been talk for years though

You must know very little about private and state schools if you think better sports/drama/science facilities are the norm in private schools.

If you look on the websites for private schools the sports/drama/ science facilities are often highlighted . Not my fault if they are lying to lure in the unwary and gullible.

Personally I was just happy to have my children in schools where they were happy and their needs were met. They were in the best settings for them.

I was that single parent running my own business which has long opening hours. Others in my sector make them same choices.

People look round before they sign up so it is only you who are gullible.