The Times asks: Who are independent schools really for in modern Britain?
The Times features an article on the reasons why parents are choosing to send their children to independent schools and the Independent School Council's (ISC) chairman is quoted on the issue of rising fees.
One parent interviewed speaks of the financial sacrifices she makes to pay for school fees and the article makes reference to several ISC statistics; one of which shows that in two-thirds of pupils’ households, both parents work. The article highlights the financial assistance offered by independent schools, and explores the potential impact of Labour's independent school tax plans. In response to the question of why fees have 'risen by so much, so quickly', Barnaby Lenon, chairman of the Independent Schools Council (ISC), said: “Some point to a facilities arms race [but] I don’t think that’s actually the main reason. When I was headmaster at Harrow, one of the reasons we put fees up was the increase in state school salaries, along with national insurance contributions and pensions. It was really a matter of making sure that the pay of our teachers was going up more or less the same as state school salaries.”
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