Staff in independent schools should be consulted on any proposed significant changes to working conditions during the coronavirus outbreak. By Thomas.M.Smith. 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. 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". The Independent Schools Council (ISC) brings seven associations together to represent 1,374 independent schools in the UK. In England the schools account for a slightly higher percentage than in the UK as a whole. All Daily News Summaries. Both these trends were reversed during the 1980s, and the share of the independent schools reached 7.5 per cent by 1991. [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. Independent schools are schools that are not funded or controlled by central government and local authority; instead they are funded by way of tuition fees, donations and investments. Welcome to the Independent Schools Association. For instance, a pupil seeking admission to a state school that is rejected is legally entitled to appeal, whereas at an independent school admissions are at the discretion of the governing body of the school.[28]. 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. Independent schools are able to set their own discipline regime, with much greater freedom to exclude children, primarily exercised in the wider interests of the school: the most usual causes being drug-taking, whether at school or away, or an open rejection of the school's values, such as dishonesty or violence. According to a 2010 study by Ryan & Sibetia, "the proportion of pupils attending independent schools in England is currently 7.2 per cent (considering full-time pupils only)". The report calculated that independent schools support an £11.7 billion contribution to gross value added (GVA) in Britain. ISA provides professional support to its 550 member Headteachers. [8][29] Search here. Most offer sporting, musical, dramatic and art facilities, sometimes at extra charges. According to the Independent Schools Council, there are approximately 1,300 private schools under its membership in the UK (and abroad). The quoted figures, based on the degree results of all students who graduated in 2013/14, suggested that 82 per cent of state school pupils got firsts or upper seconds compared with 73 per cent of those from independent schools. Since 2014, we have been a registered charity and we are proud to promote our charitable objectives. For example, pupils do not have to follow the National Curriculum. ISC provides research, legal, regulatory and press services and we represent our associations by coordinating campaigns on specific issues. These were often established for male students from poor or disadvantaged backgrounds; however, English law has always regarded education as a charitable end in itself, irrespective of poverty. A study commissioned by the Sutton Trust[41] and published in 2010 focussed mainly on the possible use of US-style SAT tests as a way of detecting a candidate's academic potential. The site incorporates Ukindependentschools.com. All independent schools must be registered with, and meet certain regulations set by, the DfES (Department for Education and Skills). 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. Also, facilities already provided by the charitable foundation for a few students could profitably be extended to further paying pupils. We welcome Catholic heads to join us as full or associate members and benefit from the many opportunities available. Find independent schools in the UK by Postcode, Town, County or Borough. 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. 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. 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]. [26], Some parents complain that their rights and their children's are compromised by vague and one-sided contracts which allow Heads to use discretionary powers unfairly, such as in expulsion on non-disciplinary grounds. The Direct Grant Grammar Schools (Cessation of Grant) Regulations 1975 required these schools to choose between full state funding as comprehensive schools and full independence. State and independent schools across the country work in partnership to provide educational opportunities for greater numbers of young people. Though older private schools are frequently associated with specific faiths, most of them are affiliated with Christian denominations, especially Catholicism or the Anglican Church. Nevertheless, many of the best-known public schools are extremely expensive, and many have entry criteria geared towards those who have been at private "feeder" preparatory schools. In 2017, the average annual cost for private schooling was £14,102 for day school and £32,259 for boarding school.[3]. These schools are ranked among the best in the world and educate more than half a million children each year, around 59% of independently educated pupils. Some are privately owned, some are run by charitable trusts. 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]. Boarding-school traditions give a distinctive character to British independent education, even in the case of day-pupils. The ISC and the associations it represents fully support efforts to tackle racism or any other type of discrimination – there is need for positive, meaningful change. In England the schools account for a slightly higher percentage than in the UK as a whole. 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 confirmed they will continue preparing their pupils for exams in the summer and will carry on running mock exams. 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. 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 scheme was terminated by the Labour government in 1997, and since then the independent sector has moved to increase its own means-tested bursaries. Independent Schools in the United Kingdom play a central role in education both UK & International students contribute over £9.5 Billion to the UK economy. 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. Independent school definition: (in Britain ) a school that is neither financed nor controlled by the government or local... | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples The averaged effect was described as very variable across the social class and A-level attainment of the candidates; it was "small and not strongly significant for students with high A-level scores" (i.e. (Some schools still keep their foundation students in a separate house from other pupils.). What is an independent school? ... email organising@neu.org.uk. [34], An investigation into official exam data by the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme, in 2017, showed that 20% of private school pupils were given extra time for their GCSE and A level exams, as compared with less than 12% of pupils in public sector schools. Independent Schools Council, First Floor, 27 Queen Anne's Gate, London SW1H 9BU. Independent schools provide excellence, capacity, and innovation in our education system. [18] On the other hand, pupils performing poorly cannot legally be excluded from a state school solely for poor performance.[19]. Staff of our Members’ schools benefit from … As boarding schools are fully responsible for their pupils throughout term-time, pastoral care is an essential part of independent education, and many independent schools teach their own distinctive ethos, including social aspirations, manners and accents, associated with their own school traditions. Peter Newsam. Those schools in England which are members of the affiliated organisations of the ISC are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate under a framework agreed between ISC, the Government's Department for Education (DfE) and the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted). The Thatcher government introduced the Assisted Places Scheme in England and Wales in 1980, whereby the state paid the school fees for those pupils capable of gaining a place but unable to afford the fees. ISC schools offer scholarships and 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. 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)". A high proportion of independent schools, particularly the larger and older institutions, have charitable status. [11], The Independent Schools Council (ISC), through seven affiliated organisations, represents 1,289 schools that together educate over 80 per cent of the pupils in the UK independent sector. LOGIN SIGN UP. [44] However, two Bs and a C represents an entry tariff of 112, well below the average demanded by any of the UK's Russell Group universities. For most families, the main reason for choosing an independent school is the 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. The latest breaking news, comment and features from The Independent. 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. They have a board of governors or trustees that is truly independent of any other organization, whereas a different private school can technically be governed by any outside entity, from nonprofit organizations to churches to … Later, HEFCE admitted that it had made a transposition error, and that in fact, 73 per cent of state school graduates gained a first or upper second class degree compared with 82 per cent of independent school graduates. 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. 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]. 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. Independent schools are schools that charge fees to attend rather than being funded by the state. UK independent schools are fee-paying schools that do not receive funding from the government. These networks enable members to … [16][17], Independent schools are generally academically selective, using the competitive Common Entrance Examination at ages 11–13. This is estimated to save the schools about £200 per pupil and to cost the Exchequer about £100 million in tax breaks, assuming that an increase in fees would not result in any transfer of pupils from private to maintained sector. Most of the larger independent schools are either full or partial boarding schools, although many are now predominantly day schools; by contrast there are only a few dozen state boarding schools. [22] However, the treatment of the state sector as homogeneous in nature is difficult to support. More recently heads of public schools have been emphasising that senior pupils now play a much reduced role in disciplining. 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. Independent Schools are typically governed by a board of governors that is elected independently of government and has a system of governance that ensures its independent operation. They are, however, currently gaining in numbers. Independent schools, like state grammar schools, are free to select their pupils, subject to general legislation against discrimination. The authors noted "a very well-determined and monotonically positive effect defined over Social Classes I to V" whereby, for both men and women, "ceteris paribus, academic performance at university is better the more advantaged is the student's home background". Racism is a serious issue for all schools and for wider society. In 2011 there were more than 2,500 independent schools in the UK educating some 628,000 children, comprising over 6.5 per cent of UK children, and more than 18 per cent of pupils over the age of 16. There are more than 2000 schools in the UK which are independent of local or central government control and approximately 8% of the school population in UK is educated within these schools. Across all English universities, state school students who scored two Bs and a C at A-level did on average eight per cent better at degree level than their privately educated counterparts. Much of the discipline was in the hands of senior pupils (usually known as prefects), which was not just a means to reduce staffing costs, but was also seen as vital preparation for those pupils' later roles in public or military service. ISC offers the following information online: a school search, guidance on how to apply to an independent school, information on SEND provision, school fee assistance and bursary advice. Poorly-performing pupils may be required to leave, and following GCSE results can be replaced in the sixth form by a new infusion of high-performing sixth-form-only pupils, which may distort apparent results. Some other schools are inspected by the School Inspection Service. The ISC brings together seven associations to represent over 1,300 independent schools and was founded in 1973. Entrance to some schools is more or less restricted to pupils whose parents practice a particular religion, or schools may require all pupils to attend religious services. Maths Teacher - Independent Prep School . Independent Schools Economic Impact Report Durham University 'Academic Value Added' Research, 2016 Soft Skills and Mental Toughness Research, 2017 Media News, Press Releases & Statements ISC Blogs About ISC Schools ISC Daily News Summary School News Bursaries Applying for a free place at an independent school Bursaries and Scholarships Search from-,---schools Home About ISC Sector Info Research Media Bursaries School Jobs Find a School Home About ISC Objectives Associations Board and Committees Expert Groups ISC Staff Setting up a School/Joining ISC Courses and Events Sector Info Coronavirus … for students at the more selective universities) and "statistically significant mostly for students from lower occupationally-ranked social-class backgrounds". 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. 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