As a mother who has ushered her children through almost all forms of education, from pre-school through to university, in the private sector and in state, I have to say that I was dismayed to read in today’s Independent  that two of the five fee paying schools so far assessed by the Charity Commission, with regard to their element of ‘public benefit’, had lost their charitable status.

This will inflict a financial blow a time when fee paying schools will be struggling to exist.

I have never felt a seconds guilt for using the private sector as and when I have needed to. I receive no tax rebates when I opt out and I am more signed up than many, with passion, to wanting to see a British world class state education system alongside an equally good NHS under a new Conservative Government.

I would go further and say that only the Conservative party can deliver a state system we could be proud of because we are not bound by the shackles of political ideology.

In the time I served on the Education select committee I witnessed first hand, in a way which surprised me, the prejudice of Labour MPs towards the private sector and shockingly how that prejudice transferred to any individual group outside of the homogenous one size fits all inclusive ideology, such as children with special needs or gifted children.

With Labour the mantra for education is inclusion.
No child can be special or needy and parents who choose to spend their hard earned cash however they want are frowned upon.

Having dipped in and out of the fee paying, state and public sector, one question which has burned in my thoughts and has never been answered is this - take away the posh buildings and beautiful grounds, what is being done in fee paying schools which isn't being done in state schools given that at certain points in their education, all children sit the same GCSE's and A levels and are taught the same curriculum?

There are a number of points which have struck me when comparing the two which provide a clue, discipline in the fee paying sector is rigid and ordered.

The school uniform code is equally rigid, it’s about standards and expectation (and just in case Mr White is reading this, you can speak to me later!) 

There is much we can learn which is transferable from the fee paying sector to the state, with the results they attain it could be said that in itself is a public service.

My ideal society is about small state and big people, a society of true diversity which can only exist with an acceptance of the fact that parents will always want to choose how to educate their own children themselves.

I don't see the situation improving over the next few months for fee paying schools as they take the backlash from the tail of a dying government.

The sooner this particular animal is put out of its misery the better and in the meantime, I am sure my party will rise above the trap that Labour have set and ensure everyone knows we are not a party of limited choice and petty jealousy, that we are equally committed to ensuring that everyone has access to a world beating education regardless of whether they want to pay for it,or not.