Families send their children to independent school for a variety of reasons: Meeting special education needs, escaping bullying or undertaking specialised training are just a few. It is a difficult, and often life-changing, decision for many of these families who, like anyone, simply want the best for their children.
This page features stories of families who sent one or more children to independent school, and why they made that choice. We will be adding more stories over time. If you’re affected by this issue, we’d love to share your story. Please let us know through the Contact Us page.
Tony and Kate Perry
We sent our son to an independent school because he wasn’t getting the support he needed in his state primary school (they had limited resources and others with greater need). His ADHD, dyslexia and dysgraphia would have left him struggling, especially in secondary school where he would have faded among the crowds with limited belief in his abilities and potential. Our daughter is thriving in her state primary school, with bright options ahead for secondary school. We want all children to have access to great schools, but we believe that taxing independent school fees won’t get us there.
Family R (name and address supplied)
Lots of our friends have flourished at state schools but we think our girls would have struggled. We chose an independent primary and left an oversubscribed “catchment area” place for somebody else. Our eldest is an extreme introvert and would have been “lost” in a large class. Our youngest in particular struggles to concentrate. We’ve not needed to get her formally tested but in a taxpayer-funded school, she would likely have been a significant drain on an over-stressed teacher, and might have needed the extra resources prompted by a care plan.
Looking ahead to secondary, many friends and neighbours choose an excellent local grammar and good luck to them. Our eldest is very bright and would definitely qualify. Instead we’re hoping to stay independent, which again leaves that grammar school place for somebody else. I don’t know what we’ll do if we can’t afford the fees+VAT, as we’ll have missed the grammar opportunity and there’s nothing else viable in our area.
Nina Owen (via change.org)
I am an autistic single mum of a 6 year old boy who has been waiting 2 years for his autism diagnosis and speech and language therapy. I send him to an independent school because he simply wouldn’t have his needs met in a state school. In order to be able to do this, there are certain sacrifices that have to be made, e.g. not going on holidays etc but I am prepared to do this as it means that my son is in a school that he is happy and thriving in. He simply wouldn’t even be able to set foot in a state school with the amount of noise and people in it and that is just for starters. The government need to realise that it isn’t just the wealthy who send their children to independent schools – there is a wide ranging demographic. I already pay higher rate of tax anyway. Bringing this proposal in will result in the closing down of many smaller independent schools and further overcrowding of already stretched state schools. I am already paying for state schools and pay the higher rate of tax so I don’t see why myself and others should essentially be doubled taxed for taking the strain off state schools.
Julia Langley (via change.org)
We have made the decision to send our child with SEN to a private school as the state school could not meet her needs. We have already made considerable financial sacrifices and will not be able to afford the rise. Then she will be forced to go back to mainstream where her needs will not be met and she will likely stop attending.
Folasade Ashaye (via change.org)
I have 2 daughters in a private school who experienced racism in a government school. We’re just a working family who want the best for their children. We shouldn’t have to be punished for putting our children in a private school
Sarah Davey (2 Nov 2023, via change.org)
My son has been severely bullied through primary school. I am sending him to private schools as I feel my choices are limited and he may well be bullied within a mainstream school which in turn will mean his mental health suffers. I do not agree with Labour’s proposal and it is not just the rich who sacrifice all they have to make this decision. I work in education and I know the consequences of sending your child to a school which is not right for them.
Sumit Kumar (via change.org)
We are hardworking professionals and we cut down on our personal expenses and holidays to get our son private school education because the public schools in our area are the 2 worst schools (not one of the worst) in Cambridgeshire. If this charge is levied on private schools it would further impact us. So unless the government can drastically change the condition of these public secondary schools in St Neots, it is just unfair on parents like us. If the schools in a catchment are rated at the bottom 2 of the county, you can’t penalise the parents further.
Kate Hills (via change.org)
My children ended up in private education as there were no spaces for them in the state schools where we live. My son even ended up on the cover of our local paper because the state was unable to find a reception place for him. We had to dig deep and make many sacrifices to find the money to send him to a local private school.
Some of our local schools are grammar schools which are full of kids from out-of-borough, who have parents that are prepared to spend a fortune on tutoring to get their kids to pass the grammar test. Then they drive them miles to school every day!
I’m all for kids going to their local state school, but there needs to be enough spaces available in these local schools before you tax the parents that are paying for private schools because they want a good education for their kids somewhere locally.
Annabel Fergusson (via change.org)
My son has SEN (deafness) and needs to be in a school with small class sizes and teachers that have the time to support him. He did not get this when he was in the state system and we moved him to a private school where he is thriving. If we have to move him back to a state school, the labour government will have to cover the costs of his SEN support. The private education system is not about rich parents wanting to send their children to elite schools; it is mostly about hard working parents wanting their children to be in the right environment for them. The state system currently fails most SEN children.
Jenny Klein (via change.org)
I’m offended by a Labour spokesman referring to stopping funding the “children of oligarchs”. We’re a working family with a bright but sensitive child who was bullied in state primary and would not have coped in the local state secondary. We had no choice but to stretch our budget to send our child to a local and excellent independent where all the families we have met are regular working families like ours, striving to give the right schooling opportunities for their children. It’s already tough to find the funds to support the choice we made for our child. If Labour increases the fees we face by 20% on top of the other pressures we face with the cost of living crisis, that could jeopardise our ability to maintain sending our child to the school they need and result in the taxpayer funding the entire cost of our child’s education. This just doesn’t add up for anyone!
Judith Ashley (via change.org)
The choice of senior school where we live was poor. We are hard-working, working class people who have made many sacrifices for our children’s education. We do without fancy holidays, clothes and meals out to pay for it. Private education is not just for millionaires. If Labour do this they will hit working class people and affect the state school provision. There is no way they could accommodate the huge increase in children in state schools overnight. If this tax is appropriate then you have to impose tax on any goods/services classed as ‘luxury’. Where would that stop? Labour will be making a huge mistake and I will be voting differently if this goes ahead as a proposal.
Jane Worthington (via change.org)
If Labour place 20% on current school fees, I’ll have to place my child in a state funded school, adding further pressure to the state system, the move will affect my child’s mental health as they will have to leave their friends and school, adding pressure to mental health services which again are already struggling. It will risk my child’s education as they have already stated they will refuse to go to school if they have to move away from friends. Refusal to attend school narrows their employment opportunities in the future which will knock on to social services as adults. This is a ridiculously narrow-minded approach and the knock on affect will cost the country in the long run.
Batool Jafri (via change.org)
Not everyone who sends their children to private school are “rich”. I currently have 3 children in private education and as a family we have had to make huge sacrifices to do this. We live in a rented terrace house, we don’t own a big fancy house as is the misconception. Both of us drive very old cars but we’re happy that these sacrifices mean our children will have had a better opportunity of improving themselves.
We didn’t make this decision lightly but we’re forced to when my eldest was only given a place in a failing school. So how about you pledge more money into the state schools and improve them so parents like myself are not forced to make drastic lifestyle changes to educate their children.
Education Not Taxation 