Top Oxfordshire Prep School to Close Amid Controversial VAT Policy on Private Education

[Eloquent pilgrim]

32 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

You support the privilege and power of wealth while objecting to working people using their collective bargaining to get something for themselves and their fellow union members.

 

Absolute classic; this is typical of extreme left wing socialism / Marxism; only 22% of British workers belong to a trade union; this 22% are the elite that the Labour government are pandering to, at the expense of the genuine working class. Hardly surprising considering that the unions are the Governments paymasters.

 

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

1 minute ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

 

Train drivers ‘working class’ your knowledge of the British working class is remarkably limited; how’s all that left wing socialism going over your side of the pond ?

 

 

Oh so Train drivers are not working class all of a sudden because they manage to negotiate a decent wage.

 

‘My side of the pond’?

 

I’m in Thailand and can still spot a cap doffer, even at this distance.

[Chomper Higgot]

5 minutes ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

 

Absolute classic; this is typical of extreme left wing socialism / Marxism; only 22% of British workers belong to a trade union; this 22% are the elite that the Labour government are pandering to, at the expense of the genuine working class. Hardly surprising considering that the unions are the Governments paymasters.

 

 

 

Workers in trade unions are now the elite.

Have you lost all touch with reality or do you simply not understand the term ‘elite’ in the context of British society?

 

 

 

 

 

[Bkk Brian]

58 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Investing billions in state schools to improve the life opportunities of the millions of children who’s parents can’t afford to buy privilege.

 

 

Buying privilege is a fact of life be it for yourself or your children. Where you live, the house you live in, how you travel to work, what tickets you buy on a train or hopping on a flight. What car you buy, what shops you spend your money in and what you buy, how you eat, what you eat.

 

In this case, the government has admitted the system is broken and relies on private education providers. Why should parents who can afford to bite into their budgets not be able to pay for a basic right to good education and care for their children when the state cannot provide better?

[Chomper Higgot]

2 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Buying privilege is a fact of life be it for yourself or your children. Where you live, the house you live in, how you travel to work, what tickets you buy in a train of going on a flight. What car you buy, what shops you spend your money in and what you buy.

 

In this case, the government has admitted the system is broken and relies on private education providers. Why should parents who can afford to bite into their budgets not be able to pay for a basic right to good education and care for their children when the state cannot provide better?

It’s also a contributor to inequality.

 

The Labour Government are very rightly focused on providing equal opportunity for all in education.

 

If people wish to buy privilege they still can, they simply have to pay VAT on it.

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, Chomper Higgot said:

It’s also a contributor to inequality.

 

The Labour Government are very rightly focused on providing equal opportunity for all in education.

 

If people wish to buy privilege they still can, they simply have to pay VAT on it.

Got it, so everyone should travel in one class on a plane, eat the same food, shop in the same shops, buy the same standard home and car..............

 

Deflection. The government has already admitted the system is broken and relies on independent providers.

[Chomper Higgot]

Just now, Bkk Brian said:

Got it, so everyone should travel in one class on a plane, eat the same food, shop in the same shops, buy the same standard home and car..............

 

Deflection. The government has already admitted the system is broken and relies on independent providers.

How you constructed that diatribe from my comment is a mystery.

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, Chomper Higgot said:

How you constructed that diatribe from my comment is a mystery.

Another deflection to the facts

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

Just now, Bkk Brian said:

Another deflection to the facts

 

 

It’s not a deflection Brian, at no time have I ever argued “so everyone should travel in one class on a plane, eat the same food, shop in the same shops, buy the same standard home and car”

 

Completely fabricated by you.

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, Chomper Higgot said:

It’s not a deflection Brian, at no time have I ever argued “so everyone should travel in one class on a plane, eat the same food, shop in the same shops, buy the same standard home and car”

 

Completely fabricated by you.

I asked you a question about your constant repetitive statements of buying privilege, I gave you some factual examples of daily privilege's, how people live in the real world including education. No fabrication and no diatribe 

[Chomper Higgot]

Just now, Bkk Brian said:

I asked you a question about your constant repetitive statements of buying privilege, I gave you some factual examples of daily privilege's, how people live in the real world including education. No fabrication and no diatribe 

Brian, you invented a bunch of crap, it’s for you to defend it, not me.

[Bkk Brian]

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Brian, you invented a bunch of crap, it’s for you to defend it, not me.

Its real life Chomper buying privilege's including school, not crap as you claim

[Chomper Higgot]

11 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Its real life Chomper buying privilege's including school, not crap as you claim

Who knew.

 

Now did you get the memo, the Labour Government has taxed the few buying privilege in education and has massively increased spending on education fir the many.

That too is real life Brian, and it’s a welcome improvement.

 

[Bkk Brian]

5 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Who knew.

 

Now did you get the memo, the Labour Government has taxed the few buying privilege in education and has massively increased spending on education fir the many.

That too is real life Brian, and it’s a welcome improvement.

 

How many posts have you added the phrase "buying privilege"? Apparently you knew very well but do not accept it.

 

Now what do you see wrong in those parents buying privilege's when the state cannot provide better education and care for their children?

[Chomper Higgot]

Just now, Bkk Brian said:

How many posts have you added the phrase "buying privilege"? Apparently you knew very well but do not accept it.

 

Now what do you see wrong in those parents buying privilege's when the state cannot provide better education and care for their children?

I use the term buying privilege, because that what is being bought.

 

The State sector schools provide excellent education, they don’t provide privilege.

 

The significant increase in spending on state education will help provide better education for millions of children, regardless of the financial circumstances they were born into.

 

The reversal of over a decade of austerity visited upon those reliant upon state schools is a very welcome change for the better

[Bkk Brian]

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I use the term buying privilege, because that what is being bought.

 

The State sector schools provide excellent education, they don’t provide privilege.

 

The significant increase in spending on state education will help provide better education for millions of children, regardless of the financial circumstances they were born into.

 

The reversal of over a decade of austerity visited upon those reliant upon state schools is a very welcome change for the better

The State sector schools provide excellent education, they don’t provide privilege.

 

That depends on which school, what area and what need, why does the government say the system is broken if they provide excellent education? Why have parents had to opt for private education because there is no adequate state education available. All the links to this have already been provided Chomper, I take it you did not read them.

[Chomper Higgot]

1 minute ago, Bkk Brian said:

The State sector schools provide excellent education, they don’t provide privilege.

 

That depends on which school, what area and what need, why does the government say the system is broken if they provide excellent education? Why have parents had to opt for private education because there is no adequate state education available. All the links to this have already been provided Chomper, I take it you did not read them.

Over a decade of austerity has taken its toll, the Government have, as mentioned many times, increased spending by £Billions.

 

Investing in the education of the nation’s children regardless of the financial circumstance of their birth, not abandoning children’s education because their parents can’t afford to buy privileged access.

 

It’s a very welcome change for the better.

 

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, Chomper Higgot said:

Over a decade of austerity has taken its toll, the Government have, as mentioned many times, increased spending by £Billions.

 

Investing in the education of the nation’s children regardless of the financial circumstance of their birth, not abandoning children’s education because their parents can’t afford to buy privileged access.

 

It’s a very welcome change for the better.

 

What's that got to do with this claim? That I have just addressed? Do they plan on building more schools or will they still rely on the private sector to fill the gap? How does that affect the children in the here and now who are not provided with the appropriate education by the state?

 

12 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I use the term buying privilege, because that what is being bought.

 

The State sector schools provide excellent education, they don’t provide privilege.

 

The significant increase in spending on state education will help provide better education for millions of children, regardless of the financial circumstances they were born into.

 

The reversal of over a decade of austerity visited upon those reliant upon state schools is a very welcome change for the better

 

[Katatonica]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It’s also a contributor to inequality.

 

The Labour Government are very rightly focused on providing equal opportunity for all in education.

 

If people wish to buy privilege they still can, they simply have to pay VAT on it.

There will always be a huge variance in state sector schools and buying into a better area will generally get you a better school. 'Buying privileges' (note that a plural doesn't have an apostrophe) as you put it will not go away. Now thousands of people will be leaving the British Armed Forces because they can't afford boarding schools and special needs children will not be able to get their niche education that is so necessary for their well-being. The sole reason I made the choice to go to a boarding school was that my local comprehensive made the national news when its assembly hall was burnt down in a riot, just by the way. 

The state education system will not benefit by this piece of pure envy politics, as is plainly obvious. There is a place available for every child at a state school and the private sector already reduces that pressure by tens of thousands of places. If the system was actually fair, the parents of those children should receive tax credits as they are not being a burden on the state. Private education is thus already a huge benefit to the state education system, taking it away is pointless even if it does make the spiteful far-left feel better.

[RuamRudy]

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

Buying privilege is a fact of life be it for yourself or your children. Where you live, the house you live in, how you travel to work, what tickets you buy on a train or hopping on a flight. What car you buy, what shops you spend your money in and what you buy, how you eat, what you eat.

 

In this case, the government has admitted the system is broken and relies on private education providers. Why should parents who can afford to bite into their budgets not be able to pay for a basic right to good education and care for their children when the state cannot provide better?

 

They can - private schools have not been outlawed. 

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, RuamRudy said:

 

They can - private schools have not been outlawed. 

Who on earth claimed otherwise?

[RuamRudy]

5 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Who on earth claimed otherwise?

 

You did.

 

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

Why should parents who can afford to bite into their budgets not be able to pay for a basic right to good education and care for their children when the state cannot provide better?

 

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, RuamRudy said:

 

You did.

You need to read that again, I did not claim they could not because places are not available, but if as a result of this new VAT tax they cannot afford it as has been proved by the parents that are removing their children then they can no longer can they.............understand now..jeez

[RuamRudy]

Just now, Bkk Brian said:

You need to read that again, I did not claim they could not because places are not available, but if as a result of this new VAT tax they cannot afford it as has been proved by the parents that are removing their children then they can no longer can they.............understand now..jeez

 

If that is what you were thinking when you wrote it, it did not materialise thus by the time you finished typing. The statement you wrote is unambiguous but incorrect. Parents who can afford to bite into their budget can send their children to private school. That is as truthful today as it was this time last year.  

[Bkk Brian]

1 minute ago, RuamRudy said:

 

If that is what you were thinking when you wrote it, it did not materialize thus by the time you finished typing. The statement you wrote is unambiguous but incorrect. Parents who can afford to bite into their budget can send their children to private school. That is as truthful today as it was this time last year.  

Did not materialize for you, you mean.

 

If it costs more and they can no longer afford it with the proof being they had to withdraw the children, how can it be as true today after the VAT imposition?

[Chomper Higgot]

4 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

What's that got to do with this claim? That I have just addressed? Do they plan on building more schools or will they still rely on the private sector to fill the gap? How does that affect the children in the here and now who are not provided with the appropriate education by the state?

 

 

The Government have given their funding plan and stated how many more teachers they plan to employ.

 

Austerity is over, the damage austerity is being addressed and funding public education is back.

The reliance on private schools was a direct result of the damage austerity was doing f to the state schools, it’s a symptom of the failure to support state schools not a failing of state schools.

 

[Chomper Higgot]

14 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

You need to read that again, I did not claim they could not because places are not available, but if as a result of this new VAT tax they cannot afford it as has been proved by the parents that are removing their children then they can no longer can they.............understand now..jeez

The majority of people have never been able to afford private eduction, I don’t see you sympathizing with them.

[Bkk Brian]

2 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The majority of people have never been able to afford private eduction, I don’t see you sympathizing with them.

That's because the majority don't need it but there are others that do and others that have no choice because its the only option available. Links provided aldready!

[Bkk Brian]

15 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The Government have given their funding plan and stated how many more teachers they plan to employ.

 

Austerity is over, the damage austerity is being addressed and funding public education is back.

The reliance on private schools was a direct result of the damage austerity was doing f to the state schools, it’s a symptom of the failure to support state schools not a failing of state schools.

 

Crystal ball predictions do not cut it for those parents and students suffering now.

 

The rest of your post on the reasons for private schooling is pure speculation again it depends on the need and objectives.

 

 

[Patong2021]

21 hours ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

 

What taxpayer subsidies were / are  they receiving .... thanks 

 

Most of the independent schools  have obtained a "Charity" designation. As I understand this status, it allows for a reduced tax rate from the local council, and allows for additional  tax deductions and credits available to  charities.  I have seen references to the benefit of charity status as £200 per pupil. If there are an 554,000 pupils at independent schools, the amount of tax revenue forsaken would be £200 X 554,000 = £1,108,000,000.   There are also additional amounts lost to the  Revenue department, of which I have seen estimates of between £100 million and £200 million. (I am unable to  find a reliable source for this, so take it under advise.)

 

16 hours ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

Is the amount of money that the government does not collect if VAT is not levied on tuition more or less than the extra expenditure that would be required to educate all of this prep school's students in government schools?

 

No.

A quick check of  Google says that the average  tuition per pupil is £16,656.00

If we use 554,000 pupils, the total taxable amount is £9,227,424,000.00 

20% of that is   £1,845,484,800.00

If we look at the  numbers from the first answer above, it gives the impression that the government is collecting revenue it has previously not collected because of the schools' charitable status. In effect a wash.

 

Comment

The parents who are sending their children to independent schools are also paying taxes to support the government school system, but they receive no service or benefit from that tax contribution. At the very least, they should be able to receive a  tax credit for this.