Independent schools (often known as private schools) tend to have small class sizes, excellent exam results and a good record of entry to top universities. Many devote a significant amount of time to cultural activities, like art, drama and music, and most offer a wide variety of sporting opportunities. Independent schools have more teachers per 100 pupils, good pastoral care and excellent provision for special needs. There are types of independent school that are less common in the state sector such as single-sex schools, schools for highly academic pupils, boarding schools, and schools which specialise in sport, music, acting or dance.
The aim is to find the school that best meets the needs of your child. The ISC School Search can help you to find schools that meet your criteria, based on location, age range, boarding or day options as well as financial assistance offered. Look at a school’s website and go to visit it as soon as possible. Independent schools take children at different ages – from age 5, 7, 11, 13 and 16 and you may need to apply well in advance.
One third of pupils at ISC schools receive fee assistance.
There might be a number of reasons why you feel your child would benefit from being at a boarding school. Perhaps you live a long way from a good school or your child could benefit from the longer school days and wider range of activities that you can expect to find in a boarding school. In some schools, boarders are there at the weekends, while at others pupils go home at weekends. Flexi-boarding can be a useful option for many parents.
Boarding schools are friendly and safe places where children tend to make good friends and have a memorable time.
A large number of independent schools have both boarders and day pupils, but the majority of independent schools are day schools.
Most independent schools are quite expensive because they receive no financial help from the Government. However, many have raised money to offer places to families on lower incomes.
These schools are keen to receive applications for the fee assistance they offer. Some independent schools find that lower income families are not applying for bursaries, but these schools would very much welcome such applications.
ISC schools provide over £464m of means tested school fee assistance annually.
Independent schools are inclusive environments full of children from diverse backgrounds. School open days are ideal opportunities to see first-hand what a school is like and talk to staff and students about their experiences.
The number of reduced-fee places or free places offered varies from school to school. At Christ’s Hospital School, a boarding school in Sussex, most of the pupils are on greatly reduced fees or pay nothing at all.
Reduced-fee and free places are normally called bursaries or assisted places. You need to find out about these from the school’s website, or by contacting the school’s admissions office. If you are considering applying for a place at a boarding school, you could also look at the Royal National Children's SpringBoard Foundation - an organisation that pairs up children from low income homes with boarding schools.
Bursaries are means-assessed on a financial basis and will require a parent or guardian to complete a declaration to establish whether the student meets the necessary criteria. This is usually re-assessed each year that the bursary is required.
The school looks at what it is reasonable for you to afford and sets a fee accordingly. Some schools are able to offer greater bursary provision than others.
Fee assistance can also cover help with costs which are not included in the normal school fee, such as uniform and school trips.
To find an independent school for your child, you can use our ISC School Search. This allows you to search by school fee assistance and other requirements too such as location, age range, day and boarding.
