[Crabcakes]

Given many people have to choose between doing basic things such as heating or eating, or feeding their kids or themselves, my sympathy for people bemoaning raised fees for something that is *absolutely* a luxury is severely limited. Plus anyone so close to financial collapse that a change in fees could tip them over shouldn’t ever be sending their kids to private school and incurring the cost in the first place.

Or perhaps they could just be advised to buy value beans, or simply not have so many lattes, eh Greg? That seems to be perfectly acceptable when other groups have found themselves cash strapped as a result of Tory policy ineptitude.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Or perhaps they could just be advised to buy value beans, or simply not have so many lattes, eh Greg? That seems to be perfectly acceptable when other groups have found themselves cash strapped as a result of Tory policy ineptitude.

Funny you should mention that.

[kreuzberger]

Whilst sympathies will run very thin, an education lasts 12/13 years, and, over such a period, it is quite possible for the parents' financial situation to deteriorate.

I mention that as a simple fact, rather special-case pleading for them to be cushioned. Shit happens.

[Crabcakes]

Whilst sympathies will run very thin, an education lasts 12/13 years, and, over such a period, it is quite possible for the parents' financial situation to deteriorate.

I mention that as a simple fact, rather special-case pleading for them to be cushioned. Shit happens.

True, but I also suspect the number of people for who the VAT price rise is going to be the deciding factor between keeping on a private school or not in the face of deteriorating finances will be vanishingly small - there can’t be that many people who are simultaneously well off enough that they can countenance continuing to pay tens of thousands while also knowing they will be absolutely shafted if they have to pay VAT as well.

[Yug]

If they need any pointers there's an excellent money-saving expert in Kirkby in Ashfield.

[Bones McCoy]

Greg’s current wheeze is trying to create panic about taxes…by amplifying a story about a blatantly rich family who may have to sell their home to keep their child in an eye-wateringly expensive private school.

Because that’ll absolutely connect with *so* many people.

Interested parties wonder: "Their house" or "One of their houses".

[Tubby Isaacs]

Greg's stance on this issue is courageous, in the Sir Humphrey sense. Team Greg 19 Team Keir 71.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Is this bloke advising Greg Hands?

Does he think George Osborne made a habit of visiting people that were affected by his cuts? If she went to one school, she'd get told she was picking it for some nefarious reason, and had to go to another one. She's got better things to do. The same bloke is also upset that Labour MPs didn't turn up for their meeting. This is "Do you know who I am?" stuff.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Yeah, he's definitely advising Greg.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Literally nothing in this tweet is true.

[Youngian]

Looks like China’s next generation will miss out on England’s advanced railway planning classes. Any word from FSB officers on the future plans for their children?

[Andy McDandy]

Sorry, I'm confused. Is that a good or a bad thing now?

[Crabcakes]

They absolutely won’t shun British schools. It’s not a cost or value issue, it’s a prestige one of saying they’ve been to a “British school”. Quite a lot of these students get absolutely shitty grades, or do summer courses or non-subjects because the actual qualification is almost irrelevant.

[Andy McDandy]

Ah, bit like rich thickoes seeing Oxford as a finishing school/social club and dicking around for 3 years?

[Tubby Isaacs]

They absolutely won’t shun British schools. It’s not a cost or value issue, it’s a prestige one of saying they’ve been to a “British school”. Quite a lot of these students get absolutely shitty grades, or do summer courses or non-subjects because the actual qualification is almost irrelevant.

I briefly taught at a private school which was quite pioneering in recruiting kids from Hong Kong. They were extremely motivated academically, especially with Maths and Science. I would be surprised if Chinese kids are that different.

But agree that a price increase that’ll barely be different from some other years won’t put them off. It’s the prestige but also I think it suits them, in that it’s pretty liberal compared to “Tiger Mum” education they may be used to, and fairly broad based.

The thing with private education is that serious kids really do get an incredible education, with great facilities small classes, nice teachers with time to wander off curriculum. What it also does of course is spoonfeed lots of mediocre people through exams.

Plus no plebs and excellent contacts, of course.

[Bones McCoy]

Sorry, I'm confused. Is that a good or a bad thing now?

I tried to figure that out for myself.

The Chinese are bad (Obvs).
But like the Russians we need the rich ones.
In this case to fill up the spare places in our public schools.
Presumably so those spaces are available for hard working British families (or something).

[Bones McCoy]

They absolutely won’t shun British schools. It’s not a cost or value issue, it’s a prestige one of saying they’ve been to a “British school”. Quite a lot of these students get absolutely shitty grades, or do summer courses or non-subjects because the actual qualification is almost irrelevant.

The important thing is leaving with a fluency in English and a grasp of how another country does business.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Chinese from Hong Kong = good.

[Crabcakes]

Yeah, sorry I was generalising a bit. Some - many - kids will absolutely be super-dedicated. But I reckon that a lot of kids going to certain, very expensive, private schools will be the kids of very wealthy and/or politically connected Chinese families, and their not failing is priced in.

For that latter group, a VAT bump will make no difference because that amount of money is a rounding error to their parents.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Yeah, sorry I was generalising a bit. Some - many - kids will absolutely be super-dedicated. But I reckon that a lot of kids going to certain, very expensive, private schools will be the kids of very wealthy and/or politically connected Chinese families, and their not failing is priced in.

For that latter group, a VAT bump will make no difference because that amount of money is a rounding error to their parents.

Actually, there's probably more in what you said now than when I was on the scene. The longer something goes on, the greater the entitlement that creeps in.

Agree, they're not going to bother about VAT going on the fees. Schools might actively recruit more Chinese to make up the shortfall.