Random political stuff - old news, or not news

[AndyRM]

This is the other photo from Weston College's website. You must have missed it.

View attachment 16759

I like that dudes box fresh Maiden shirt. I wonder where his mum got it from?

 

[icowden]

Hey, schools and colleges, would it be possible not just to have photogenic girls in your A-level publicity, please? Surely all publicity photos should reflect to some extent the gender (and racial mix) of the cohort??

Brian - are you trying to subvert the tried and tested Press approach of taking a picture of fruity teenaged girls jumping in the air in celebration?

 

[briantrumpet]

Brian - are you trying to subvert the tried and tested Press approach of taking a picture of fruity teenaged girls jumping in the air in celebration?

At least we haven't got the jumping here 😉

 

[briantrumpet]

Given that it didn't lead to the exodus from private education that private schools warned us about, this is a rather weak argument, methinks.

 

[Pblakeney]

Given that it didn't lead to the exodus from private education that private schools warned us about, this is a rather weak argument, methinks.

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That ROI is looking a tad precarious.

 

[icowden]

Given that it didn't lead to the exodus from private education that private schools warned us about, this is a rather weak argument, methinks.

Depends what you are arguing about.

 

[BoldonLad]

That and past reputation from people who don’t realise how much other brands have caught up (especially with electric where many ‘legacy’ companies wasted years trying to force electric motors into their existing ICE vehicles). I’ve had BMWs as company cars in the past and they were fine but nothing special.

Yes, I had a 320d BMW. Turbo blew up at just over 80,000 miles, engine wrecked. I am not a fan 😊

 

[C R]

I like that dudes box fresh Maiden shirt. I wonder where his mum got it from?

There's plenty of young uns that like proper music.

 

[Ian H]

There's plenty of young uns that like proper music.

And others that like Iron Maiden. 😉

 

[AndyRM]

There's plenty of young uns that like proper music.

No doubt.

Having looked at the shirt more closely, it's either AI or really, really pish. Or got off Temu/Shein/Alis Cave.

 

[icowden]

Given that it didn't lead to the exodus from private education that private schools warned us about, this is a rather weak argument, methinks.

Never finished my response.

It certainly had an effect. Somewhere between 71 to 100 private schools have closed. Many are now under increased pressure due to reducing numbers.

People were never just going to abandon their kids education. It's the people who would have remortgaged or taken on a second job to put their child through a Private School that aren't doing so. Those kids in turn are being failed because of the lack of smaller placements and appropriate specialist schools.

We have 3 terms left with one child and it's going to be an absolute killer. Fees have risen by about 40% since we started. Far above inflation. It was already up to around 20% before the VAT imposition.

And yes I know, oh the humanity. Middle class bloke is struggling to let his daughter finish her education. I'm not buggering up her education though just because of a greedy chancellor.

 

[PurplePenguin]

Isn't this September the first year where parents will have known about VAT and made a choice? Therefore, it's probably too early to tell.

 

[briantrumpet]

It certainly had an effect. Somewhere between 71 to 100 private schools have closed. Many are now under increased pressure due to reducing numbers.

IIRC, that's roughly in line with overall reduction in pupil numbers. The state sector is also going to be shrinking considerably over the next 10 years as pupil numbers decline quite markedly.

I know it's a real stretch for many (and I'm sorry it is for you), but if the sector overall can continue without a dramatic decline in pupil numbers despite a 20% increase in fees on top of the significant increases the schools themselves have imposed, then, as I say, it's not a strong overall argument for the removal of VAT. As PP says, intakes this September will be a better indicator as to the impact on how parents view affordability.

You might be aware that I worked in a private school for 24 years, albeit one that has relatively low fees in comparison with much of the sector, so I'm not coming at this vindictively.

 

[C R]

No doubt.

Having looked at the shirt more closely, it's either AI or really, really pish. Or got off Temu/Shein/Alis Cave.

Yep, at first glance I thought it was one of the Real Live/Dead ones, but upon proper inspection it is just a crap collage of unrelated bits.

 

[AndyRM]

Yep, at first glance I thought it was one of the Real Live/Dead ones, but upon proper inspection it is just a crap collage of unrelated bits.

Derek Riggs would not be impressed.

The typography is all over the place too.

Ron Maiden? It doesn't look folded there...