After the US election results, there has been a surge in internet searches on how to move away from the upcoming presidency of Donald Trump in America.
Concerned voters, from Australia to Canada, are contemplating the idea of relocating due to some of Trump’s controversial policies.
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However, in the UK, one mother is considering returning to the US as the best option for her children.
Liana Fricker, a resident of Surrey who moved from California over 20 years ago, has two sons diagnosed with ADHD.
Her sons, aged 14 and 10, currently attend a private school that specializes in working with young people with ADHD.
With a 15.4% increase in fees scheduled for January due to the government ending the VAT exemption on private schools, Liana feels she will soon be unable to afford the school.
Liana feels she has no choice but to withdraw at least one of her sons from the school, either sending him to a state school or returning to the US where she believes her family would have more educational options.
“It’s ironic,” she says. “Because even with Donald Trump, I have to consider what’s the least unfavorable choice.”
In the US, Liana finds the concept of government policy dictating school choice foreign. Instead, there is a belief that “everyone is free to choose within the limits of the law and the Constitution.”
“Parents who send their children to private schools receive a tax rebate as appreciation for paying taxes and not utilizing public services,” she explains.
Liana acknowledges that there are excellent state schools in her local area, but the challenge would be ensuring both her sons are accepted together.
Her 14-year-old son is already studying for his GCSEs, and she fears his education could be disrupted if he has to switch schools and study different subjects.
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Private schools ‘will adapt’ to VAT tax
Her son may be among the many private school students displaced by the government’s policy changes, which Labour claims will fund approximately 6,500 new teachers in state schools. The Treasury maintains that the policy will not significantly impact private school attendance overall.
However, Liana believes it will make things much more challenging.
“I believe the long-term sustainability of private education will be compromised,” she remarks, as parents contemplate how long they can afford the escalating fees.
Additionally, it’s not only private school students who will feel the effects.
Liana is concerned that children with Special Educational Needs (SEN), like her sons with ADHD, who can no longer afford private schools will strain the resources in state schools.
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“As a parent with kids in state schools, I would be furious because that’s the likely outcome,” she says.
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Children with SEN are exempt from VAT on private school fees only if they have an EHCP funded by the local authority that places them in a specific school.
This does not address children whose parents choose private schools to meet their needs, like in Liana’s case.
“It’s not just about how private schools help, but about providing options and choice,” she emphasizes.
Liana advocates for a comprehensive assessment across the country to understand the impact of the policy on students and schools.
The government claims an impact assessment was conducted and published alongside the budget in late October. Critics have condemned the hurried implementation of the policy, given the short timeframe between the budget release and its enforcement.
However, a source defends the analysis used, referring to it as fair, objective, and transparent, based on data from the Office for Budget Responsibility.
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A government representative stated: “Our goal is to ensure every child has equal opportunities to succeed in life. Ending tax privileges for private schools will help generate the necessary revenue to remove obstacles to opportunity for children and youth nationwide.
“We anticipate that this policy will not significantly impact the overall number of students attending private schools. Despite private school fees increasing by about 75% in real terms since 2000, the number of private school students has remained constant.”
For Liana’s children, that “equal opportunity” for a successful life may now lie across the Atlantic.