", "Why private schooling is on the decline in England", "Soaring school fees put private education out of reach for many", Private schooling in the UK and Australia, Response to Charity Commission draft guidance on public benefit, The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), "Boarding school fees rise by nearly three times inflation in the last ten years", "Scholarships for Private Independent Schools", "Richest independent schools give smallest bursaries", "Schools 'cull pupils to lift A-level rank, Engines of Privilege: Britain's private school problem, CEER Publications|University of Buckingham, "Poorer pupils still fail to get into Oxbridge", "Charitable status and independent schools", "Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005", "Private school pupils get more time for exams", "Extra Time In Exams: Your Child May Be Eligible", On class differentials in educational attainment, "Schooling effects on subsequent university performance: evidence for the UK university population", The predictive effectiveness of metrics in admission to Cambridge University, Use of an aptitude test in university entrance:a validity study, Higher education and beyond: Outcomes from full-time first degree study, "University funding body admits 'disturbing blunder' over state- vs private-educated pupils' degree performance", "The type of school you went to could matter more than A-levels for your degree", Fully searchable UK school guide independent and state, "University Admissions by Individual Schools", "Unleashing Aspiration: The Final Report of the Panel on Fair Access to the Professions", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Independent_school_(United_Kingdom)&oldid=995363056, Independent schools in the United Kingdom, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2007, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2008, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 20 December 2020, at 17:08. They are, however, currently gaining in numbers. Please read ISC's privacy policy on the use of your personal data. Our website enables parents, wherever they are based, to locate independent private schools most suitable for their children. LOGIN SIGN UP. A leading independent school in South East London are seeking a p/t Biology Teacher to start as soon as possible for the rest of the academic year. St Paul’s Girls’ School is an independent day school which is currently ranked as the top independent school in the UK. This arose because of Scotland's long tradition of state-funded education, which was spearheaded by the Church of Scotland from the seventeenth century, long before such education was common in England. Smithers and Robinson's 2010 Sutton Trust commissioned study of social variation in comprehensive schools (excluding grammar schools) notes that "The 2,679 state comprehensive schools in England are highly socially segregated: the least deprived comprehensive in the country has 1 in 25 (4.2 per cent)[4.2% is 1 in 24] of pupils with parents on income benefits compared with over 16 times as many (68.6 per cent) in the most deprived comprehensive"[25]. 08 May 2011. The cookie settings on this website are set to 'allow all cookies' to give you the very best experience. The spectrum of state schools, their intake and performance, is enormous, going from "super selective", selective, right down to what Newsam referred to as "sub secondary modern". Also, facilities already provided by the charitable foundation for a few students could profitably be extended to further paying pupils. Independent schools confirmed they will continue preparing their pupils for exams in the summer and will carry on running mock exams. ... email organising@neu.org.uk. [5], Pupil numbers at independent schools fell slightly during the mid-1970s recession. [4][15] Scholarships and means-tested bursaries to assist the education of the less well-off are usually awarded by a process which combines academic and other criteria. Despite these caveats, the paper attracted much press attention. We are unable to assist with complaints, recommend schools, provide league tables or offer direct school fee assistance or bursaries. [27] This belief is reinforced by the fact that the legal rights of pupils are governed by a private contract, as opposed to rights implemented by the national government. Since 2014, we have been a registered charity and we are proud to promote our charitable objectives. This was heard by the Upper Tribunal at the same time as a reference by the Attorney General asking the Tribunal to consider how the public benefit requirement should operate in relation to fee-charging charitable schools. The ISC brings together seven associations to represent over 1,300 independent schools and was founded in 1973. The term 'public school' derived from the fact that they were then open to pupils regardless of where they lived or their religion (while in North America, 'public school' refers to a publicly funded state school). UK independent schools are fee-paying schools that do not receive funding from the government. Public school, also called independent school, in the United Kingdom, one of a relatively small group of institutions educating secondary-level students for a fee and independent of the state system as regards both endowment and administration. Its findings confirmed those of the Smith & Naylor study in that it found that privately educated pupils who, despite their educational advantages, have only secured a poor A-level score, and who therefore attend less selective universities, do less well than state educated degree candidates with the same low A-level attainment. ISA provides professional support to its 550 member Headteachers. Independent school definition: (in Britain ) a school that is neither financed nor controlled by the government or local... | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples Edward Thring of Uppingham School introduced major reforms, focusing on the importance of the individual and competition, as well as the need for a "total curriculum" with academia, music, sport and drama being central to education. but they also observed that a student educated at an independent school was on average 6 per cent less likely to receive a first or an upper second class degree than a student from the same social class background, of the same gender, who had achieved the same A-level score at a state school. 2 days left; Save Biology Teacher - Independent School. Search for an ISC independent school matching your requirements for location, boarding, gender, age range, examinations, school fee assistance or SEN. [4] However, a majority of the independent schools today are still registered as a charity, and bursaries are available to students on a means test basis. Daily News Summaries The scheme was terminated by the Labour government in 1997, and since then the independent sector has moved to increase its own means-tested bursaries. Though older private schools are frequently associated with specific faiths, most of them are affiliated with Christian denominations, especially Catholicism or the Anglican Church. More recently heads of public schools have been emphasising that senior pupils now play a much reduced role in disciplining. State and independent schools across the country work in partnership to provide educational opportunities for greater numbers of young people. It is possible to search for a day or boarding school, single sex or co-educational school, preparatory or senior school, a particular religious affiliation or to view the independent schools listed in a specific county. Additionally, the study could not take into account the effect of a slightly different and more traditional subject mix studied by independent students at university on university achievement. Partington's summary specified that "questions of school background and gender" ... "make only a marginal difference and the pattern – particularly in relation to school background – is in any case inconsistent.". For most families, the main reason for choosing an independent school is the Independent schools are also known as private schools and public schools. [16][17], Independent schools are generally academically selective, using the competitive Common Entrance Examination at ages 11–13. Julie Robinson, chief executive of the ISC, highlights the educational and economic value of independent schools. In 2009 senior boarding schools were charging fees of between £16,000 and nearly £30,000 per annum. After a time, such fees eclipsed the original charitable income, and the original endowment would become a minor part of the capital benefactions enjoyed by the school. [13][14] The nine largest Scottish independent schools, with 1,000 or more pupils, are George Watson's College, Hutcheson's Grammar School, Robert Gordon's College, George Heriot's School, St Aloysius' College, The Glasgow Academy, Dollar Academy, the High School of Glasgow and the High School of Dundee. For example, many independent schools (and most of the prestigious schools) take pupils at thirteen, so they would be expected to attract the strongest applicants from many feeder schools, provided the pupils are wealthy enough to afford the fees or receive funding. Search here. Many pupils aspire to send their own children to their old schools over successive generations. In Scotland, under the Charities and Trustee Investment Act (Scotland),[32] there is an entirely separate test of charitable status, overseen by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, which assesses the public benefit[33] provided by each registered school charity. Independent schools do not have to teach the National Curriculum and have more freedom to teach how they like. Unlike England, all Scottish independent schools are subject to the same regime of inspections by Education Scotland as local authority schools and they have to register with the Learning Directorate. Learn more. In the United Kingdom, independent schools (also sometimes described as private schools) are fee-charging schools, typically governed by an elected board of governors and independent of many of the regulations and conditions that apply to state-funded schools. If you're looking for a quick run down of the top 10 best independent schools in the UK in order to see if your local school appears, then look no further. Most public schools developed significantly during the 18th and 19th centuries, and came to play an important role in the development of the Victorian social elite. Independent schools, like state grammar schools, are free to select their pupils, subject to general legislation against discrimination. [1] Historically, the term 'private school' referred to a school in private ownership, in contrast to an endowed school subject to a trust or of charitable status. In 2006, pupils at fee-paying schools made up 43 per cent of those selected for places at Oxford University and 38 per cent of those granted places at Cambridge University (although such pupils represent only 18 per cent of the 16 years old plus school population). Independent Schools not affiliated to the ISC in England may be inspected by either School Inspection Service or Bridge Schools' Trust. NEU independent school reps in a few areas have set up email groups with fellow reps from local, or comparable, schools. Many are represented by the Independent Schools Council (ISC), while around 250 independent senior schools are represented by the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC), although both bodies also represent schools outside England and the United Kingdom. [18] On the other hand, pupils performing poorly cannot legally be excluded from a state school solely for poor performance.[19]. Boarding-school traditions give a distinctive character to British independent education, even in the case of day-pupils. [2] In addition to charging tuition fees, many also benefit from gifts, charitable endowments and charitable status. The Independent Schools Council was granted permission by the High Court to bring a judicial review of the Charity Commission’s public benefit guidance as it affected the independent education sector. [citation needed]. This independent day school for boys aged 10-18 with a co-educational Sixth Form, is based in south London and is known for its superb choir, though sport and drama are also strong. It became a huge influence on the Thatcher government's opposition to old-school gentlemanly Toryism. Independent schools offer means-tested fee assistance to widen access for families from all walks of life. independent school definition: 1. in the UK, a school that does not receive money from the government 2. in the U.K., a school…. The Upper Tribunal's decision, published on 14 October 2011, concluded that in all cases there must be more than de minimis or token benefit for the poor, but that trustees of a charitable independent school should decide what was appropriate in their particular circumstances.[30]. Going some way to countering the charge of exclusivity, a large number (c. one third[citation needed]) of independent schools provide assistance with fees to some pupils. Welcome to the Independent Schools Association. We welcome Catholic heads to join us as full or associate members and benefit from the many opportunities available. There are around 2,600 independent schools in the UK, which educate around 615,000 children, some 7 per cent of all British children and 18 per cent of pupils over the age of 16. State and independent school partnerships, Independent Schools Economic Impact Report 2018, Soft Skills and Mental Toughness Research, 2017, Durham University 'Academic Value Added' Research, 2016, Applying for a free place at an independent school, Find a School with provision for Educational Needs and Disability, Find a school offering scholarships and bursaries. Most independent senior schools ask pupils to take a Common Entrance exam, or 11+, before offering them a place. Independent schools, as compared with maintained schools, are generally characterised by more individual teaching; much lower pupil-teacher ratios at around 9:1;[20] longer teaching hours (sometimes including Saturday morning teaching) and homework (known as prep), though shorter terms; more time for organised sports and extra-curricular activities; more emphasis on traditional academic subjects such as maths, classics and modern languages; and a broader education than that prescribed by the national curriculum, to which state school education is in practice limited. Some independent schools are particularly old, such as The King's School, Canterbury (founded 597), The King's School, Rochester (founded 604), St Peter's School, York (founded c. 627), Sherborne School (founded 705), Warwick School (c. 914), The King's School, Ely (c. 970) and St Albans School (948). In addition, as discussed in the 2010 Buckingham report "HMC Schools: a quantitative analysis", because students from state schools tended to be admitted on lower A-level entry grades, relative to entry grades it could be claimed that these students had improved more. 28 January 2020. The changes since 1990 have been less dramatic, participation falling to 6.9 per cent by 1996 before increasing very slightly after 2000 to reach 7.2 per cent in 2012. Independent schools accredited to the ISC in Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland or others in England out with the inspectorial bodies listed above are inspected through the national inspectorates in each country.[12]. According to a 2010 study by Ryan & Sibetia,[10] "the proportion of pupils attending independent schools in England is currently 7.2 per cent (considering full-time pupils only)". Independent schools in Scotland educate about 31,000 children and often referred to as Private Schools. Independent school pupils are four times more likely to attain an A* at GCSE than their non-selective state sector counterparts and twice as likely to attain an A grade at A-level. In England the schools account for a slightly higher percentage than in the UK as a whole. [30], Since the Charities Act was passed in November 2006, charitable status is based on an organisation providing a "public benefit", as judged by the Charity Commission. Only a small minority of parents can afford school fees averaging over £23,000 per annum for boarding pupils and £11,000 for day pupils, with additional costs for uniform, equipment and extra-curricular facilities. The Member Zone is for ISC schools and associations. The principal forms of selection are financial, in that the pupil's family must be able to pay the school fees, and academic, with many administering their own entrance exams – some also require that the prospective student undergo an interview, and credit may also be given for musical, sporting or other talent. Educational achievement is generally very good. Such 'exam access' arrangements are given for a range of disabilities and educational special needs such as dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD. Established in 1904 by the Worshipful Company of Mercers, the school is exclusively for girls and is located in Brook Green, Hammersmith, a district of West London. In Scotland a teaching qualification and registration with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) is mandatory for all teaching positions. Although many of the Scottish independent schools are members of the ISC they are also represented by the Scottish Council of Independent Schools, recognised by the Scottish Parliament as the body representing private schools in Scotland. Children are enrolled into independent senior schools aged 13 and graduate at 18. If you are looking for an independent (or private) school to send your child to, it is important to consider many aspects of the school, such as the number of students, location, facilities, gender of students etc.If you are searching for an academically excellent school, it is also a good idea to consider the GCSE league table. A teaching qualification and registration with the general teaching Council for Scotland ( GTCS ) is mandatory for schools. Often referred to as private schools this website are set to 'allow all cookies ' give! Association is one of the independent schools fell slightly during the late 14th and early 15th the... 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