TheoGriff:

What it is also saying is: parents who are already paying for their children's schooling through taxation, are paying double through school fees, and will now have to pay treble by funding the school fees of other parents' children.

 My child attended a school that appeared very charitable some years ago- and although child received an excellent education, it was a struggle for us financially and we went willingly without but years later we stil feel the effects.  We did not qualify for the support under the means test, the faith- child was neither gifted, nor did child have special needs to merit any financial support. We paid full fees and it took most of my salary at the time over an eight year period and I suppose we could have been called a bordeline family.

However funding the school fees of other parents' children really did get my goat at the time- Lady Hard Up' s child who had suddenly fallen upon hard times seemed to have reduced fees as did celeb's child; as did various pupils whose parents had parted or who had self imposed financial tragedies but kep their fab homes; also the school funded the clever/talented  local kids some of whom did not last the distance.  Ok- this is gossip but there is a tad of truth in there.

All of them seemed to have a better standard of living than the we suburban semis on a budget. I began to think that it was only families like ourselves and overseas parents that paid full fees.

I think that borderline  parents like myself will be struggling to find fees for some Inde schools, in particular for more than one child.

This might mean of course that parents will downsize to less expensive schools and so some schools in the Inde Sector would benefit.

At the risk of saying what I am thinking - which would be cheaper, coming out of charitable status and putting the fees up for that, or putting fees up to pay for a kid from a poor background?

 In my experience most independents already give scholarships and bursaries to able  children from  poor families.

What worries me though is the dictat sounds a bit like making independents take kids kids with poor behaviour and similar issues in an attempt to drive their standards down to those of the local chav  hell hole!

Sorry to say it.

I have had enough of putting up with poor behaviour. I came into the independent sector to  teach. I know it costs parents a lot of money . I know it will mean yet more independent schools closing -  mostly the ones who many middle class parents can afford.

It wont affect the big named schools who take Royalty . It may not even affect my school  because there tends to be an affluent/ poor split socially and economically in the area, but it will affect a lot of schools and I have heard it mooted there already.

It might just be more cost effective to put the fees up and forget the charity. Shame that though, because kids who do now benefit , wont have any chance in future.

TheoGriff:

put up your fees to fund more bursaries for poorer children, or we'll remove your tax perks from charitable status, so you'll have to put your fees up.

TheoGriff:

parents who are already paying for their children's schooling through taxation, are paying double through school fees, and will now have to pay treble by funding the school fees of other parents' children.