October 30th 2024.
Labour's recent proposal to introduce a 20% VAT on private schools has caused quite a stir, and for good reason. As a parent, I have always wanted the best for my children, especially when it comes to their education. So when I heard about the chaotic and noisy classrooms, lack of wrap-around care for working parents, and even a windowless isolation room for misbehaving children in some state schools, I couldn't help but feel anxious and uncomfortable. It was clear that this setup would not work for our family.
Feeling that we needed to explore other options, my husband and I decided to enroll our son in a local independent prep school a few years ago. And we have never looked back. In fact, our daughter joined the same school two years later. However, with Labour's proposed VAT, it now feels like we are being penalized for simply wanting the best for our children.
Rachel Reeves, a member of the Labour party, recently stated that she is more concerned with the education of the 93% of children in state schools, rather than the 7% in private schools. As a parent, this statement made me feel angry, disillusioned, and othered. It shouldn't be a competition between state and private schools. Each child is an individual with their own unique story, and all children deserve access to quality education.
My husband and I were both the first in our families to attend university, and we did not come from privilege or have connections or large inheritances. We both understand the value of education in achieving upward socio-economic mobility. That is why we chose to prioritize the same for our children.
Today, our children are thriving in our local independent prep school. Our son receives differentiated learning, which allows him to stay engaged in his studies, and our daughter receives one-to-one interventions for her mild language delay. They are also able to participate in a range of after-school clubs and provisions, which is a great help for families with working parents.
But now, with Labour's proposed VAT, our school has informed us that they will likely have to pass on the full 20% to parents. This will be unsustainable for many middle-class families, and it will have a negative impact on children in assisted places. It feels like the government is completely ignoring our concerns and demonstrating a biased view of independent schools and the families who choose them.
Our school is not a flashy, well-funded institution. We have seen our fees increase by 7% last year and another 7.5% this year. Adding another 20% on top of yearly increases will be a huge burden for many families, including ours. If we were not paying school fees, we could have afforded a larger home in a top state school catchment area and taken luxury holidays. But we chose to prioritize our children's education, and now we feel like we are being punished for it.
At the end of the day, we will do whatever it takes to keep our children in their current school, even if it means making sacrifices. But we are fortunate enough to have that option. Many families will not be able to afford the increased fees, and their children will suffer as a result.
It is clear that state schools need support, but so do children in independent schools. They also have a right to an education that allows them to reach their full potential. This type of reverse discrimination from Labour is disgraceful. And it's not just about the money - it's about the well-being and future of our children.
I hope that the government will reconsider their proposal and think about the impact it will have on families and children across the UK. We should not be pitting state and private schools against each other. Instead, we should be working together to ensure that all children have access to quality education.
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