October 10th 2024.
The recent announcement by Labour about implementing a 20% VAT on private schools has caused quite a stir. As a parent, I am deeply concerned about the impact this will have on our children's education and well-being. As I toured local state schools a few years ago, I was shocked to hear about chaotic classrooms of 60 children, lack of wrap-around care for working parents, and even a windowless isolation room for misbehaving students. It was clear to me that this setup would not work for our family.
Feeling anxious and uncomfortable, my husband and I decided to enroll our son in our local independent prep school, and we have never regretted that decision. Our daughter also joined the school two years later. But now, it feels like Labour's policy is penalizing us for wanting the best for our children. It's disheartening to hear statements like "I'm more interested in the 93% of children in state schools" when every child's well-being and education should be a top priority.
I understand that state schools are under-resourced, but this shouldn't be a competition. Every child is unique and deserves the best education possible. It's disheartening to see comments that only divide communities instead of bringing them together. As someone who grew up in Canada and went to a state school, and whose husband grew up in an inner-city neighborhood and went to a selective secondary school, we both understand the power of education in upward socio-economic mobility. And that is why we chose to prioritize the same for our children.
Currently, our children are thriving in our local independent prep school. My son receives differentiated learning, while my daughter has weekly one-to-one interventions to help her with her language delay. We also receive regular updates from the school and have monthly meetings with her teacher to exchange feedback. Our children are happy to go to school and participate in after-school activities, which is a testament to the personalized learning and smaller class sizes in their school.
When I first heard about Labour's plan to introduce the 20% VAT on independent school fees, I immediately felt concerned and chose not to vote for them in the General Election. It's reverse discrimination because it ignores the concerns of families like ours and displays a biased view towards independent schools. Our children's school is a small, local, independent prep school with tight budgets and no endowment fund or flashy facilities. The yearly fee increases of 7% have already been a challenge for us, and adding another 20% will make it unsustainable for many middle-class families.
My husband and I have made sacrifices to keep our children in their current school, but we will do whatever it takes to give them the best education possible. However, for many families, this may not be an option, and it's disheartening to see the potential impact on children in assisted places. The thought of moving to Canada has even crossed our minds if our efforts to provide a better life for our family are no longer achievable in the UK.
It's clear that both state schools and independent schools need support for children to thrive. Every child has a right to an education that allows them to reach their full potential. This type of reverse discrimination is not only unfair but also disgraceful. It's heartbreaking to see schools like my children's become collateral damage in the pursuit of taxing education at 20%, as if they are just a mere 7%. It's time for us to come together as a society and prioritize the education and well-being of all children, regardless of their background or school of choice.
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