news & politics:discussion

[Neil]

1 hour ago, squirrelarmy said:

I’ve got a friend who works as a house mistress in a Yorkshire boarding school. She says the majority of her school kids that she looks after are from rich overseas families. 

thats a proper posh school, for the lesser boarding schools, the majority are UK services families.

[steviewevie]

7 minutes ago, Neil said:

thats a proper posh school, for the lesser boarding schools, the majority are UK services families.

the proper posh schools are full of russian oligarch spawn...or at least they used to be...

[mattiloy]

Finland probably the most successful education system in europe. Kids start school at 7, minimal private school coverage, courses in identifying fake news, I’ve never met a Finn who didnt speak at least 3 languages well.

The state schools in the UK also need big reforms and a lot of money spending on them. But the minds of politicians would be sharpened greatly in this endeavour were their kids also exposed to their shortcomings. Thats the problem. Moral hazard. Where there is an escape route, and where those calling the shots are not affected by the inadequacies of their decisions, incentives are misaligned.

[Guest]

 

 

[steviewevie]

big win for Labour in Chester last night.

[Guest]

Hahahahaha gutted Tories. 

Edited December 2, 2022 by Ozanne

[pink_triangle]

39 minutes ago, Ozanne said:

Hahahahaha gutted Tories. 

Having lived in the constituency next door most of my life, I am surprised Chester is as labour as it votes in elections.

[Guest]

So how long now till Sunak goes? That’s the only Tory plan isn’t it. 

[gary1979666]

A lot of problems in the UK education sector are the fault of the parents.  The kids just aren't ready for school and some parents don't put the effort in. I was a school governor of my son's primary and the head there said that only 20% of parent read to their kids at night regularly - which gives them a step up with reading themselves - generally this is the better off parents (no, not the nanny...well not all the time).  Same during lockdown, the inequality grew, as the home provision was different.  It's also the same with homework support.  So the teachers have to catch up on a lot of the basics that really should have been started at home.  Many start school without being properly toilet trained! 

My lad had his parents evening last week (local state school) - doing pretty well, but the teacher said it would be hard to actually challenge him in maths, as there isn't the time.  I'd love to send him privately, but it's not practical (logistics & the exwife factor) or affordable where I live, plus he has his friends there. If the price went up 20%, it's completely out of the question.  We're reasonably well off and it's too costly in Cambs/Herts area, so it's a luxury only the 250k+ households can afford.  Adding VAT just makes it more exclusive.  Not saying that's wrong, but doesn't feel right in the state sector that the bright kids are held back because some can't wipe their arses. 

[squirrelarmy]

3 hours ago, pink_triangle said:

Having lived in the constituency next door most of my life, I am surprised Chester is as labour as it votes in elections.

Think the term is nouveau riche. 
 

They may look to have the same upper class attitude, wealth and values as the average Tories but they’re still down to earth working class people.

I’ve done some work over that way and I can assure you, having money doesn’t automatically give you class. 

[Guest]

Sajid Javid is now standing down at the next election, they see the writings on the wall for them. 

[kaosmark2]

So I was defending Starmer before about MP selection, but wtf is happening in Uxbridge? Literally just saying a result doesn't count?

[cellar]

23 hours ago, Neil said:

its not stevie or ozanne, it is in fact thewayiam, an idiot of the highest order.

Not sure where you're getting that info from - this is my first and only account on these forums

[philipsteak]

55 minutes ago, cellar said:

Not sure where you're getting that info from - this is my first and only account on these forums

Yeah, I don't see it myself.

I can understand cellar's posts. thewayiam can't string a coherent sentence together

[Guest]

FYI the polls are correct. 

[lost]

Interesting article in the FT. The zero VAT on private schools is worded in law as no VAT on education fee's hence its going to be difficult to re-word unless Starmer also plans to add VAT to university tuition taking it from £9250 to £11,100 a year.

[Guest]

 

[steviewevie]

 

[Neil]

15 hours ago, lost said:

Interesting article in the FT. The zero VAT on private schools is worded in law as no VAT on education fee's hence its going to be difficult to re-word unless Starmer also plans to add VAT to university tuition taking it from £9250 to £11,100 a year.

there's always a way to word these thibngs.

[Zoo Music Girl]

36 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

 

Love this!

[steviewevie]

 

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

 

My hero. 

[lost]

1 hour ago, Neil said:

there's always a way to word these thibngs.

Possibly but at current interest rates lower earners will probably never pay the loan off and its a graduate tax in all but name. If the money is re-cycled into education at the lower end for the poorest who will never goto uni obviously there is a progressive argument to effectively extend that graduate tax on higher earners via VAT.

I would guess if it is happening its not being mentioned as it would be unpopular with the middle classes

Edited December 3, 2022 by lost

[Guest]

The rich are starting to get worried that they can’t appear to be better than the rest of us it looks like.

[Neil]

1 hour ago, lost said:

Possibly but at current interest rates lower earners will probably never pay the loan off and its a graduate tax in all but name. If the money is re-cycled into education at the lower end for the poorest who will never goto uni obviously there is a progressive argument to effectively extend that graduate tax on higher earners via VAT.

the student loans thing was set-up to keep govt borrowing off the books, that's out the windoiw now, cos EU rules said it had to be on the books.