Bye Bye Sunak..

[ZedLeg]

Are you planning on sending your kid to a private school Merv?

He's already in one Zed. He struggled with class sizes as they got bigger in pre-school an started to become very introverted, and when we saw the state of the local primary (our only option) it was a no brainer (the one I referenced above that went from 1>1.5>2 form entry but still teaching in the corridors because they're over-subscribed). That saw me going back on what I'd said to the wife about private education at primary age.

I see many of my traits in him. I may be guilty of being a bit open here, but when I was his age the headteacher at my state primary told my parents he thought I was an "absent minded professor" and that I may need to go the SEN route. My parents spoke with my class teacher as they were horrified, and she said "nah - he's just too easily distracted because it's an open plan school and the class sizes are too big". I got taken out and put into a private prep and it was honestly the best thing that ever happened to me in turning me around. I only found out about the SEN thing relatively recently. Came as quite a shock.

Yeah figured, I had a similar experience when I was a kid but my parents were skint so I just had to suck it up

As I said before, there should be provision for kids who need extra help that can only be supplied at specialist schools.

That doesn’t mean that the rest of the private school sector should get a free pass though. All just imo though.

[duncs500]

Perhaps they should further increase taxes on people with multiple properties, after all, they must be "the rich", and there is a housing shortage after all.

At the end of the day it's all relative. Most people judge policy on how it affects them, rather than others. I think we all support improving education, but it's a question of whether this is a viable policy.

[ZedLeg]

Do you want to get me started on people who hold multiple properties Duncs?

[Beany]

Do you want to get me started on people who hold multiple properties Duncs?

*holds zed back by the collar*

DON'T DO IT ZED HE'S NOT WORF IT!

[Nefarious]

Perhaps they should further increase taxes on people with multiple properties, after all, they must be "the rich", and there is a housing shortage after all.

They did. In the form of second dwelling stamp surcharge, and CGT on any capital gain, and I think that was largely the justification used.

[dinny_g]

If there used to be Tax on Private School fees but a previous government changed the law to remove them, then it is indeed a Tax Break

Is that the case??

[Nefarious]

If there used to be Tax on Private School fees but a previous government changed the law to remove them, then it is indeed a Tax Break

Is that the case??

See my comment about semantics. I'm quite happy to call it whatever you want. An artificially created exemption that mostly benefits wealthier people?

And just because something has been wrong for a *really* long time doesn't make it in any way right. There was no law against beating your wife until the early 80s but it wasn't a valid argument for maintaining that status quo

[Swervin_Mervin]

It's not a break though because all educational services are exempt from VAT. That includes tertiary education, hell it even includes educational services provided by those other businesses - Academy Trusts (now there's a topic for another day!).

How they navigate it's implementation specifically for one subset of all such services will be interesting to see. Application of VAT law is often subject to challenge. I mean who knew a giant marshmallow was VAT exempt where small and medium ones aren't hey?

[Swervin_Mervin]

Are you planning on sending your kid to a private school Merv?

He's already in one Zed. He struggled with class sizes as they got bigger in pre-school an started to become very introverted, and when we saw the state of the local primary (our only option) it was a no brainer (the one I referenced above that went from 1>1.5>2 form entry but still teaching in the corridors because they're over-subscribed). That saw me going back on what I'd said to the wife about private education at primary age.

I see many of my traits in him. I may be guilty of being a bit open here, but when I was his age the headteacher at my state primary told my parents he thought I was an "absent minded professor" and that I may need to go the SEN route. My parents spoke with my class teacher as they were horrified, and she said "nah - he's just too easily distracted because it's an open plan school and the class sizes are too big". I got taken out and put into a private prep and it was honestly the best thing that ever happened to me in turning me around. I only found out about the SEN thing relatively recently. Came as quite a shock.

Yeah figured, I had a similar experience when I was a kid but my parents were skint so I just had to suck it up

As I said before, there should be provision for kids who need extra help that can only be supplied at specialist schools.

That doesn’t mean that the rest of the private school sector should get a free pass though. All just imo though.

We should have a system that simply does not result in many people feeling that they have to put their kids through private. I imagine we're an outlier in that regard amongst our peers. But it's yet another example of a fudged up system of operation in this country that will be hugely difficult to change.

[duncs500]

Perhaps they should further increase taxes on people with multiple properties, after all, they must be "the rich", and there is a housing shortage after all.

They did. In the form of second dwelling stamp surcharge, and CGT on any capital gain, and I think that was largely the justification used.

There's always more to be squeezed out, they're all too rich to notice anyway.

[Mito Man]

Don’t want those rich single home owning fuckers to get away either. Bring in the mansion tax on all properties over £500,000

[Beany]

Don’t want those rich single home owning fuckers to get away either. Bring in the mansion tax on all properties over £500,000

It was one million, then two million quid, but you enjoy that.

[Sundayjumper]

Don’t want those rich single home owning fuckers to get away either. Bring in the mansion tax on all properties over £500,000

It was one million, then two million quid, but you enjoy that.

He'll be less keen on a mansion tax in a few years when he inherits his parents' estate

[Simon]

Mansion. Lol. There are many very normal parts of the country where a million gets you dick all, and £500k is not even a proper family home. Mansion indeed.

[Mito Man]

Yes but by even owning your own home you are part of the elite nowadays.

[Rich B]

Mansion. Lol. There are many very normal parts of the country where a million gets you dick all, and £500k is not even a proper family home. Mansion indeed.

yes, Thats the joke....

[DeskJockey]

At the end of the day it's all relative. Most people judge policy on how it affects them, rather than others. I think we all support improving education, but it's a question of whether this is a viable policy.

And that's a large part of the problem. The sense of the greater good has been completely lost in myopic self-interest, and the politicians are either happy to support that or failing to explain why it is necessary to change. Not suggesting we need to get to turkeys voting for Christmas, but it is striking how much of policy (apart from that which punishes the poor) is all about me and mine.

Problems are just being kicked down the road for someone else to fix.

[Beany]

Mansion. Lol. There are many very normal parts of the country where a million gets you dick all, and £500k is not even a proper family home. Mansion indeed.

yes, Thats the joke....

Absolutely true now, to a lesser extent over ten years ago when it was proposed, TBH.

[dinny_g]

but it is striking how much of policy (apart from that which punishes the poor) is all about me and mine.

Perhaps because there is a large proportion of the population (and therefore electorate) who are continually asked to do more and more “for the greater good” yet benefit to a much smaller degree when compared to what they contribute

Just because someone can afford to pay, doesn’t necessarily mean they should be expected to

[DeskJockey]

but it is striking how much of policy (apart from that which punishes the poor) is all about me and mine.

Perhaps because there is a large proportion of the population (and therefore electorate) who are continually asked to do more and more “for the greater good” yet benefit to a much smaller degree when compared to what they contribute

Just because someone can afford to pay, doesn’t necessarily mean they should be expected to

And who are they?