Private schools, times a changing?

Private schools, times a changing?

Author
Discussion

Cheib

23,315 posts

176 months

Wednesday 20th March
quotequote all
NDA said:
Many of the 550,000 private school (places) parents will find a 20% increase in fees to be too much. Some have estimated that as many as 165,000 could move to the state system as a result of these unnecessary fee increases and smaller private schools having to close. Particularly those who wouldn't find it economically viable to continue with any fewer pupils.

The state system around me is already creaking at the seams with no more capacity and no new buildings being built.

This sets aside the £1.3bn needed annually to educate another 165,000. Let alone the resistance by many to send their kids to under-performing and already overcrowded schools.

Will VAT be added to universities fees? Or is it just this sector of education that's being targeted by the socialists?


Edited by NDA on Wednesday 20th March 18:20
I don’t know where you read all that but I’d suggest that it’s not well researched.

Very few schools will pass on the full 20%….schools will now be able to claim VAT back for capital projects e.g. building so that can be a substantial saving on some projects. My kids go to private schools….I already know on fairly good authority what the fees would increase by if VAT does get brought in…it is not 20%.

I also know there is a specialist consultant helping schools with profiling their parents so they can estimate attrition based on fee increases. The expectations are 5 to 10% at a “normal” private school passing on less than 20%….at the higher end schools it is close to zero.





ooid

4,135 posts

101 months

Wednesday 20th March
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cheesejunkie said:
There's nothing wrong with looking after your own.
Interesting. You did insulted parents here by calling their kids 'thick' because they go to private schools or get private tutoring. scratchchin



cheesejunkie

2,684 posts

18 months

Wednesday 20th March
quotequote all
ooid said:
cheesejunkie said:
There's nothing wrong with looking after your own.
Interesting. You did insulted parents here by calling their kids 'thick' because they go to private schools or get private tutoring. scratchchin
That’s one interpretation. Another is that I didn’t call anyone thick but pointed out that some are more entitled to be thick than others due to parental wealth. The level of annoyance that was triggered by that view was revealing.

If I say I don’t care I mean it, I’m not two faced, genuinely think look after your own, and I’ve no reason to have back doors on here about that.

Glad you find it interesting. I’ll not present you with the well known cartoon about accusations of disagreement yet participating. But I am thinking it’s not even check never mind mate.

youngsyr

14,742 posts

193 months

Wednesday 20th March
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akirk said:
youngsyr said:
You refuse to give specifics on schools (which I never asked for) and then proceed to give specifics on schools despite me asking for your overview, that you claim to have vast experience to support.

And you wonder why I come across as "rude" in my replies!

I know I can look up individual schools, but you claim to have a long and varied experience in the matter, so I asked for your view. Are you going to give it, or not?

And if not, why bother discussing it at all?
your reply (as with this one) was rude because you are demanding and brusque wink

... as well as not terribly perceptive wink Any common sense would see that if I give out figures based on my experience then those figures would clearly come from the schools I have been involved in - they are in the main schools linked to a livery company and I don't intend to make public anything which might suggest specifics for that family of schools - it would be unprofessional having sat in a position of confidence and authority on the governing body of a number of those schools.

I linked you to the Eton figures because I thought that would be helpful - it is published information and nothing to do with any of the schools I have been involved with.

Why discuss it - because there seems to be a certain degree of ignorance out in the world and belief that everyone at private schools is swanning around dripping in money etc. when clearly that is far from the reality for many who attend - people who will be affected by any changes Labour make to the VAT regulations. If the principle to understand is simply to re-calibrate from a belief that all parents of that market sector are wealthy - to a realistic understanding that actually a number are not - then that is sufficient, if you need to know more detail - pootle off and find it wink have fun!
Utter nonsense. You claim to have experience across 15 schools. You also claim that the fees and bursaries vary significantly by school.

You also stated that many schools publish this information.

So how exactly does talking in broad terms in averages across 15 varying schools, much of it public information, are you giving away anything private?

And the only link to the livery company that anyone was aware of is the one you just publically made.

Being deliberately obtuse and refusing to answer direct questions in a discussion is also a form of rudeness, by the way.


otolith

56,444 posts

205 months

Wednesday 20th March
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cheesejunkie said:
otolith said:
cheesejunkie said:
I have suggested the small number of people who'll be badly affected by it will now learn to live with the same problems as others and might get annoyed enough to address inequalities.
It's not clear to me what power they are believed to have to do this?
Weight of public opinion. But that's a lefty notion and we should all look out for ourselves rather than collective responsibility wink.

I'm no Corbyn fan, very much not a Corbyn fan. But I'm amused to be called a lefty for suggesting I don't want to pay for someone else's children. Damn socialists, always wanting someone else to pay for them.
They’re a small minority, I really don’t think they would move the needle.

Harry Flashman

19,410 posts

243 months

Thursday 21st March
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Despite cheesejunkie's admirable talent for winding the rest of you up (and everyone biting), he makes some strong points on taxation.

Everyone pays for public education, if they pay tax. I paid before I had kids, I pay now that I had kids, and I will pay after I have had kids. I may even pay after I've retired, if paying income tax on pension income. And that's just any allocation from income tax - everyone pays VAT their entire life. So any argument that private school parents are being somehow altruistic for relieving the burden on the state isn't a very strong one.

The question is whether it is fair that parents opting out of state school pay extra, via VAT on school fees. Again, the argument is an interesting one as, well, it's a service that is optional, in reality. I could, should I wish to, send my kids to our local, gang-infested, feral comprehensive school. I choose not to. But it is a choice, unlike (to some degree) heating my home, or eating.

But a couple of things stick out. Firstly, if VAT is to be blanketed over 'luxury' choices, where does it end? Some countries do this (with significant luxury car taxes, for example). Are we to tax food from Waitrose, but not from Tesco? That's a choice too - and arguably a more frivolous one than private education.

Also, my point remains about VAT on "essential services where you make a luxury choice" - private medical services are VAT free. But this one doesn't seem to be such a big vote winner...yet.

NDA

21,676 posts

226 months

Thursday 21st March
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Were private education not to exist, the additional cost to the tax payer would be vast - I am not suggesting any altruism on the part of school fee payers, but it's worth recognising. Private schools are of immense benefit to tax payers.

And why aren't universities charging VAT?

Introducing VAT to private education has always felt politically motivated - punish those who it is believed are 'wealthy' is a vote winner amongst a certain mindset.

M1AGM

2,381 posts

33 months

Thursday 21st March
quotequote all
They wont charge vat on medical stuff because the older demographic who vote for them use those services the most.

The sad thing about this envy tax is that in the scheme of things the revenue that it will theoretically raise is so small it is obviously an envy tax. The tax take in 2022-23 was £788 billion, this envy tax is supposedly going to raise £1.3 billion. That wont cover much at all and will just get swallowed up in debt interest and SP increases.

beagrizzly

10,453 posts

232 months

Thursday 21st March
quotequote all
M1AGM said:
They wont charge vat on medical stuff because the older demographic who vote for them use those services the most.

The sad thing about this envy tax is that in the scheme of things the revenue that it will theoretically raise is so small it is obviously an envy tax. The tax take in 2022-23 was £788 billion, this envy tax is supposedly going to raise £1.3 billion. That wont cover much at all and will just get swallowed up in debt interest and SP increases.
The word 'envy' gets bandied around a lot regarding opinions on independent schools. It is possible to have an opinion on the sector without being envious. Best one I saw recently was when someone dared to complain on social media about the shocking parking around the local prep school, and got the response "you're just jealous that our kids are getting a better education", completely ignoring the possibility that a)the parking was actually really bad, and b)people also complain about the shocking parking around the local state primary schools.

The envy is there, before anyone points it out, I experienced it myself when I was a public schoolboy, but I'm certain it's not driving the majority of thought on the matter.

cheesejunkie

2,684 posts

18 months

Thursday 21st March
quotequote all
Harry Flashman said:
Despite cheesejunkie's admirable talent for winding the rest of you up (and everyone biting), he makes some strong points on taxation.

Everyone pays for public education, if they pay tax. I paid before I had kids, I pay now that I had kids, and I will pay after I have had kids. I may even pay after I've retired, if paying income tax on pension income. And that's just any allocation from income tax - everyone pays VAT their entire life. So any argument that private school parents are being somehow altruistic for relieving the burden on the state isn't a very strong one.

The question is whether it is fair that parents opting out of state school pay extra, via VAT on school fees. Again, the argument is an interesting one as, well, it's a service that is optional, in reality. I could, should I wish to, send my kids to our local, gang-infested, feral comprehensive school. I choose not to. But it is a choice, unlike (to some degree) heating my home, or eating.

But a couple of things stick out. Firstly, if VAT is to be blanketed over 'luxury' choices, where does it end? Some countries do this (with significant luxury car taxes, for example). Are we to tax food from Waitrose, but not from Tesco? That's a choice too - and arguably a more frivolous one than private education.

Also, my point remains about VAT on "essential services where you make a luxury choice" - private medical services are VAT free. But this one doesn't seem to be such a big vote winner...yet.
Precisely and although I enjoy the wind up I do have some principles beneath it all. I don't see the revenue that'll be raised by adding VAT to be the point although I understand why labour are being forced to justify the policy based on its revenue raising potential.

Governments make many choices on how and where to raise tax all the time. Some decisions get ignored. Others get a very (very in this case) vocal minority up in arms.

I'm not even a fan of VAT as I think it's a regressive type of tax but I didn't even decide to mention that yet. But if I'm going to pay it so are you and that includes when you want to claim being a social hero for leaving government schools underfunded as you can bypass the problem. (Don't take the you personally, I mean it metaphorically).

Wind up aside. Do I think slapping VAT on extra things is good - no. Do I think people sending their children to private schools are being unfairly treated compared to everyone else by suggesting they pay VAT on it - no. Do I think governments have choices on social engineering and don't always get things correct - yes. Do I think this suggestion is a bad one - no.

Private education doesn't exist in many countries. Were it not to exist here you can be damn sure public education would get more prominence. Some's unwillingness to understand that very simple point is, as mentioned, revealing. The subject gets more air time due to who it pisses off. Bedroom taxes and child limitations never got so many worked up and they're a hell of a lot more nefarious, I'd be interested in seeing a Venn diagram of who's getting irate about this one and didn't give a st about that one. I suspect I know what the result would be and I'd not think less of those not in the circle but I would question how much they really care beyond looking after themselves.

Just saw bear's comment before hitting reply. I agree, envy is tossed about as a way of shutting down objections.

Hedgedhog

1,444 posts

97 months

Thursday 21st March
quotequote all
Do the parents on here whose children currently attend state school not find it somewhat insulting that the only way it is considered possible to improve the quality of these state schools is to bring in private pupils and their tiger parents?

M1AGM

2,381 posts

33 months

Thursday 21st March
quotequote all
cheesejunkie said:
Precisely and although I enjoy the wind up I do have some principles beneath it all. I don't see the revenue that'll be raised by adding VAT to be the point although I understand why labour are being forced to justify the policy based on its revenue raising potential.

Governments make many choices on how and where to raise tax all the time. Some decisions get ignored. Others get a very (very in this case) vocal minority up in arms.

I'm not even a fan of VAT as I think it's a regressive type of tax but I didn't even decide to mention that yet. But if I'm going to pay it so are you and that includes when you want to claim being a social hero for leaving government schools underfunded as you can bypass the problem. (Don't take the you personally, I mean it metaphorically).

Wind up aside. Do I think slapping VAT on extra things is good - no. Do I think people sending their children to private schools are being unfairly treated compared to everyone else by suggesting they pay VAT on it - no. Do I think governments have choices on social engineering and don't always get things correct - yes. Do I think this suggestion is a bad one - no.

Private education doesn't exist in many countries. Were it not to exist here you can be damn sure public education would get more prominence. Some's unwillingness to understand that very simple point is, as mentioned, revealing. The subject gets more air time due to who it pisses off. Bedroom taxes and child limitations never got so many worked up and they're a hell of a lot more nefarious, I'd be interested in seeing a Venn diagram of who's getting irate about this one and didn't give a st about that one. I suspect I know what the result would be and I'd not think less of those not in the circle but I would question how much they really care beyond looking after themselves.

Just saw bear's comment before hitting reply. I agree, envy is tossed about as a way of shutting down objections.
Ignoring the bluster, you keep making the idealist point that if everyone was in the state education system it would have to get better because everyone would somehow 'make it better' due to their focus on it, and be using it and not opting out by going private.

So how has that worked out with the NHS? A 'free' universal service that is not fit for purpose in many ways, where you cannot opt out for emergency treatment. A captive audience where everyone has a stake in the outcomes, and hundreds of billions spent with nothing materially getting better. People choosing to go private when they can because of the st show. Sounds familar.

Zaichik

112 posts

37 months

Thursday 21st March
quotequote all
cheesejunkie said:
Precisely and although I enjoy the wind up I do have some principles beneath it all. I don't see the revenue that'll be raised by adding VAT to be the point although I understand why labour are being forced to justify the policy based on its revenue raising potential.

Governments make many choices on how and where to raise tax all the time. Some decisions get ignored. Others get a very (very in this case) vocal minority up in arms.

I'm not even a fan of VAT as I think it's a regressive type of tax but I didn't even decide to mention that yet. But if I'm going to pay it so are you and that includes when you want to claim being a social hero for leaving government schools underfunded as you can bypass the problem. (Don't take the you personally, I mean it metaphorically).

Wind up aside. Do I think slapping VAT on extra things is good - no. Do I think people sending their children to private schools are being unfairly treated compared to everyone else by suggesting they pay VAT on it - no. Do I think governments have choices on social engineering and don't always get things correct - yes. Do I think this suggestion is a bad one - no.

Private education doesn't exist in many countries. Were it not to exist here you can be damn sure public education would get more prominence. Some's unwillingness to understand that very simple point is, as mentioned, revealing. The subject gets more air time due to who it pisses off. Bedroom taxes and child limitations never got so many worked up and they're a hell of a lot more nefarious, I'd be interested in seeing a Venn diagram of who's getting irate about this one and didn't give a st about that one. I suspect I know what the result would be and I'd not think less of those not in the circle but I would question how much they really care beyond looking after themselves.

Just saw bear's comment before hitting reply. I agree, envy is tossed about as a way of shutting down objections.
Politicians are voted into government based on what their voters want. If the majority of voters want private education to be taxed, then that is what will happen whether it is good for the country or not. That is the way democracy works.
The danger I see of the approach it appears Labour to be taking is that they only want to tax one specific form of private education, so things like university fees, nursery fees, tuition, special needs teaching etc wont be subjected to this. This seems no different to saying for instance Synagogues will have to pay extra taxes but not mosques - something that some may indeed vote for too whether right or wrong. This is a slippery slope - especially as the intent is to somehow stop perceived privilege rather than raise revenue - this being the case, why not prevent parents from reading to their children or helping them at home. Why not remove children at birth and ensure all have the same upbringing?

Consumption taxes (and income too) are on the whole a better idea than some other forms of taxes such as capital gains because they are the least distortionary, so in my view make sense and if we as voters want tax on education then so be it - but it should be applied equally.

cheesejunkie

2,684 posts

18 months

Thursday 21st March
quotequote all
M1AGM said:
Ignoring the bluster, you keep making the idealist point that if everyone was in the state education system it would have to get better because everyone would somehow 'make it better' due to their focus on it, and be using it and not opting out by going private.

So how has that worked out with the NHS? A 'free' universal service that is not fit for purpose in many ways, where you cannot opt out for emergency treatment. A captive audience where everyone has a stake in the outcomes, and hundreds of billions spent with nothing materially getting better. People choosing to go private when they can because of the st show. Sounds familar.
Private health care exists.

The NHS don't have a captive market and people can choose and increasingly have to choose to bypass it due to underfunding. I've already mentioned so many times that you look after your own but when you allow for a two tier system you allow for underfunding.

People choosing to go private because they can is what we're actually agreeing on.

otolith

56,444 posts

205 months

Thursday 21st March
quotequote all
cheesejunkie said:
Private health care exists.

The NHS don't have a captive market and people can choose and increasingly have to choose to bypass it due to underfunding. I've already mentioned so many times that you look after your own but when you allow for a two tier system you allow for underfunding.

People choosing to go private because they can is what we're actually agreeing on.
On that basis, would you advocate applying VAT to private healthcare too?

M1AGM

2,381 posts

33 months

Thursday 21st March
quotequote all
cheesejunkie said:
Private health care exists.

The NHS don't have a captive market and people can choose and increasingly have to choose to bypass it due to underfunding. I've already mentioned so many times that you look after your own but when you allow for a two tier system you allow for underfunding.

People choosing to go private because they can is what we're actually agreeing on.
It absolutely does have a captive market. There are many medical situations where there is no private option. I'm surprised you dont know that.

beagrizzly

10,453 posts

232 months

Thursday 21st March
quotequote all
Hedgedhog said:
Do the parents on here whose children currently attend state school not find it somewhat insulting that the only way it is considered possible to improve the quality of these state schools is to bring in private pupils and their tiger parents?
It's an interesting question. See also - 'we went private because state education is so poor'. Hang on a minute, maybe your local state schools might be crap, but many are very good, and many more than that good enough, so please don't write off the whole sector in an attempt to demonstrate the soundness of your decisions.

Harry Flashman

19,410 posts

243 months

Thursday 21st March
quotequote all
M1AGM said:
Ignoring the bluster, you keep making the idealist point that if everyone was in the state education system it would have to get better because everyone would somehow 'make it better' due to their focus on it, and be using it and not opting out by going private.

So how has that worked out with the NHS? A 'free' universal service that is not fit for purpose in many ways, where you cannot opt out for emergency treatment. A captive audience where everyone has a stake in the outcomes, and hundreds of billions spent with nothing materially getting better. People choosing to go private when they can because of the st show. Sounds familar.
This.

cheesejunkie

2,684 posts

18 months

Thursday 21st March
quotequote all
otolith said:
On that basis, would you advocate applying VAT to private healthcare too?
Never really thought about it so I'm answering on the hoof.

As mentioned I think VAT is regressive. But yes I'd probably not have a problem also applying VAT to private health care. But I've never thought about it enough to really have a strong opinion.

My wife works in the NHS and is very against private health care on a point of principal. But she's on my work private health care policy and has availed of it to skip waiting lists for a potentially life threatening but thankfully not problem. I've used it too, but twice in 15 years, I've paid for it the whole time. I'll happily take that safety net and will happily be called a hypocrite. My principals end when it comes to defence of the family and I know some of the posters who I disagree with on here are the same. Just don't tell me it's an altruistic position when it's a selfish one.


akirk

5,407 posts

115 months

Thursday 21st March
quotequote all
Zaichik said:
Politicians are voted into government based on what their voters want. If the majority of voters want private education to be taxed, then that is what will happen whether it is good for the country or not. That is the way democracy works.
The problem is that politicians actually believe this!
political parties gain power for a number of reasons and yes their manifesto plays a role - but it would be naive to believe that means that all their pledges are supported...

2 parties
a - manifesto says keep pistonheads - compulsory euthanasia for all males over 30
b - manifesto says get rid of pistonheads - no killing off the male poppulation

which would most on here vote for - let's assume 'b' does that mean they are voting to get rid of pistonheads? wink

our next election is likely to be as much a protest vote against the general incompetence of Westminster / a protest vote against the tories wasting so much time in power - as much as a vote for Labour (who seem to have remarkably few actual policies!) - that doesn't mean that people are actively voting for the replacement or want all on their manifesto.


cheesejunkie said:
Private health care exists.

The NHS don't have a captive market and people can choose and increasingly have to choose to bypass it due to underfunding. I've already mentioned so many times that you look after your own but when you allow for a two tier system you allow for underfunding.

People choosing to go private because they can is what we're actually agreeing on.
Not sure your point here?
private education exists
state system doesn't have a captive market
people can choose to bypass it...

yet no tax on private medical care - but is it not the same...?

My wife is a surgeon and is passionate about delivering through the NHS - she doesn't do private practice - however that is more that she feels there is plenty to do in the NHS - she is actually very supportive of those who wish to go to private consultants - they are not the trauma cases she deals with but the longer term patients whose quality of life will be improved (she is a hand surgeon), but where the NHS can't prioritise them over more critical patients / cancers / trauma / etc. By their going private, they reduce pressure on the NHS, reduce waiting times (which are often prioritised on time waited not need to avoid the hospital being fined), reduce cost for the NHS... stripping out patients to private has no negative impact on the NHS - putting them back in does:
- additional costs
- they sit on the waiting list according to time waiting as the hospital is fined if they wait too long, so a simple issue which can be lived with might take priority over / push back more critical care
- longer wait for the individual


Edited by akirk on Thursday 21st March 10:33