V.A.T, in school fees

Ah ok, we don't talk about infants or juniors in this area. All children are said to be at primary school from R until aged 11. After which they attend "The Acadamy" (Heaven help them)
Thanks for the clarification.
I would support VAT on fees funding free meals for all state primary children.

I would love to send my DGC (especially the eldest who seems like she will not have a school to go to in September). But as you say trisher if you can't afford it, you can't have it

That argument doesn't work for me Anniebach Choosing not to have a holiday or eat out wouldn't even touch the cost of school fees for most people. She says they both work, but doesn't say how much they earn.

We don't here either nina it is just how they define the age groups of those who could get the free meals and those who couldn't. There are rules in place regarding "infant" class sizes that don't apply to older primary children.

Private schools are businesses and shouldn't have charitable status. Anyone who buys from a business expects to pay VAT. The parents pay the business to educate their child and therefore should pay VAT.

I worked in a school that provided free meals of all children. It formed part of a study by Hull University. Anecdotally I can say that making sure children had a proper meal at lunchtime definitely made a difference to afternoon performance and behaviour. I'm aware that anecdotal evidence isn't totally accurate but the Hull University research found the same. Children benefit from eating a healthy meal at lunchtime.

Only something like (haven't checked) 7% can trisher.

I' sure no one's arguing any different, but surely they're already having a meal at lunchtime, whether free for parents on benefits or paid for by parents? Some opt for a packed lunch because they don't like the school meals, not necessarily because of the cost.

I'm simply pointing out that there is evidence that a hot meal at lunchtime helps all children. When it was free we had a 98% uptake. This dropped dramatically when the free meals were stopped (down to 45%).

We want to improve children's education in state schools. There is evidence that free meals help with that improvement.

As far as I am aware, VAT is charged on items classed as luxury isn't it? I would definitely consider private school a luxury.

Sorry don't agree with private sector paying for free school diners for state educated children .My partner paid for private schooling for his son.
He was not in a highly paid profession, although he was in a position of responsibility. I chose to send my children to state school. My partner at the time lived in a very modest house in a area that I would not want to live in, he made many many sacrifices for his son's future and had to endure many unkind remarks from neibours who thought he was loaded or snobbish. He was neither, just a Father from the West Indies who wanted to give his son a good start in life knowing racism still exists in the job market and he wanted his son to be well educated and have the best. His son now has a wonderful career and a good future. The school's where he lived were not good.
As I mentioned above I chose to send my two children to a state school, but I would not expect the private sector to pay VAT so that my children could get a free meal, I would take responsibility for that. I would also add if they had added VAT my partner would not be able to send his son to that school.

I wouldn't find fairness - adding VAT (for others meals) to tuition for my children, GC, or GGC.

I chose to send my children to state school

Did you really choose Norah ? Or like most of us was it a case of you couldn't afford to do otherwise?

Norah, I have struggled to pay fir my three grandchildren to have tuition, vat added would mean I couldn't afford the fees.

I chose to send my children to state schools because I had a good Grammar School in my area, however as both my then husband and I worked full time ,and If I did not like the Schools in my area I would have taken the private route. Yes I would have made the sacrifice.

Yes I would have made the sacrifice

How very dramatic rafichagran

I HATE the school that the LEA have insisted my poor DGD has to go to. It's a rubbish school. Plus its 2 buses away from home. But you know what? Short of winning the lottery (or a minor miracle) she WILL HAVE TO GO THERE as no matter what "sacrifice" we make, we could not afford the fees to go private. Most working class people who do not have the money to pay for private education.

We couldn't send our children to private schools even if we did not eat. It's not a case of giving up a holiday or not getting that new BMW.

Are children in England receiving free school meals at primary age now? How are they being funded?

I do feel that people who pay for private education for their children are also helping to fund state schools as well - both through the tax they pay on income and by the fact that they are not using the available school places for their children.

Welsh school children don't get free lunches at any age unless they qualify for them.

They get free meals up to and including year 2 Jalima1108 I think it was a Lib Dem policy during the time of the coalition government.

When the DGD tell us what they have had for 'paid for' school dinners it sometimes sounds less than nutritious or worth the money.
One day it was a filled baguette which DIL said she could have made herself!

Gillybob Not dramatic at all, yes there would be sacrifices, no car, no eating out, no holidays. I would be willing to do that. My ex husband and I worked very long hours and as far as that's concerned it gives me choices and to make a sacrifice would be my choice.

I agree with gillybob that perhaps a more simple way of saving money would be to ditch the "free" schools agenda which appears to be very expensive and wide open to corruption and mismanagement.

As I understand it, VAT is paid on most goods and services. Presumably private schools are providing a service and therefore I can't see why VAT isn't levied on school fees.

I also think private schools should no longer receive charitable status.

Someone correct me please but aren't all primary children given free school meals in R class and yrs 1 yrs 2
Only in England ninathenana

I do remember there being much on the local news about some primary schools having to build kitchens, find local sources of cooked meals - sometimes the local pub - in order to fulfil the requirements to provide children with a proper school lunch. It did seem to be an ill-thought out idea, a policy designed to appeal to some voters which resulted in problems for schools without kitchens and a two-tier system in primary schools.

However, a properly funded and subsidised school meal system would be a good thing imo.

gilly regarding your DGD - have you looked into Free Schools in your region? They are outside the control of the Local Authority - whether you agree with that concept is a different matter.

www.gov.uk/types-of-school/free-schools

I'm sorry but not eating meals out or having a holiday is not my idea of a "sacrifice" rafichagran so we will have to agree to disagree

School dinners are definitely not good value at my DGC's school Jalima1108 as I said in an earlier post sometimes there is nothing left when my eldest (yr 6) goes in for her lunch. Still has to be paid for though.

Will send you a PM River

Don't know about the free school meals it but am surprised that VAT isn't charged on school fees. It's a article like any other service surely? Would be interested in a logical argument why not. Anybody? (Um, don't consider we couldn't afford it to be a logical argument )

Service not article. How did spell checker convert that!!!!