UK independent schools now educate a record 536,109 pupils at 1,364 Independent Schools Council member schools. This is up from 529,164 in 2018.

This year’s annual report from the Independent Schools Council also highlights an increase in the number of pupils from European Economic Area (EEA) countries despite Brexit uncertainty.

Key highlights:

• There are 28,910 overseas pupils (5.4% of all pupils).
  Among the 26,370 non-British pupils whose parents live in the UK, 45% come from EEA countries, up three percentage points from last year. 13% come from the USA.
  
  
• The ISC accounts for 1,364 of the 2,500 independent schools in Britain, teaching over 80 per cent of  615,000 privately educated pupils.
  
  
• As revealed by Oxford Economics last year, non-British pupils at ISC schools supported around £1.8billion of gross value added in the UK, supporting 39,310 jobs and generating £550million in annual tax revenues. (Further details below).
  
  
• The government spends about £4,700 per state school primary pupil and £6,200 per secondary pupil each year.
  
  
• Schools give more than twice as much means-tested fee assistance as opposed to non-means-tested, totalling over £420million and representing an increase of 6% compared with last year.

• The 1,300 schools who responded to the census in 2018 and 2017 reported a 6 per cent increase in Chinese pupils to 7,702, representing 27 per cent of foreign pupils whose parents live overseas.
  
  
• The number of Russian children fell by 10 per cent to 1,527. Some of the biggest proportional increases were among pupils from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Thailand, although the numbers were in the hundreds.
  
  
• Just over 84,000 pupils (15.7%) have as having special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
  
  
• Most schools have fewer than 300 pupils; the mean school size is just under 400; the mode is just under 170; only 83 schools have more than 1,000 pupils.
  
  
• Public benefit expansion: This year there were 11,466 partnerships with state schools, compared with 10,553 last year. ISC schools raised £10million and £15million for charities this year and 901 ISC schools organise volunteering opportunities for their staff and/or pupils. (See case study below).
  
  
• Changes in boarding, reflecting parental preferences: Full boarding remains the most popular, but weekly and flexi boarding has increased for three consecutive years. In 2016, 15.7% of boarders were weekly or flexi boarders. This year that stands at 17.9%.
  
  

Globally conscious

ISC chairman, Barnaby Lenon, said: “While most independent schools are small schools serving their local community, some attract pupils of many different nationalities and these young people have a positive influence on our ability to understand other cultures as well as the country’s economy and our intellectual base.

“In the midst of Brexit it is surprising to see an increase in the number of EEA pupils at ISC schools. Clearly much value is placed on the broad all-round education independent schools offer, their inclusive environments, and commitment to supporting the development of globally conscious young people”.

Improving educational outcomes for all

Julie Robinson, ISC chief executive, said: “Independent schools provide capacity, variety and flexibility in our education system. Pressure on class sizes in state schools is eased, and saves the taxpayer £3.5billion each year.

“The 84,000 SEND pupils identified in the census shows the importance of having schools that can offer the kind of specialist support that might not otherwise be available or accessible.

“ Joint working between state and independent schools is developing, with projects becoming ever more effective and impactful. More than 11,000 partnership projects were recorded this year, all of which create new learning and development opportunities for those involved.”

Partnership case study

Benenden School in Kent works with The John Wallis Church of England Academy for many years. The academy’s principal, John McParland, said: “Our strong and successful partnership with Benenden School has grown from strength to strength over the last nine years.

“There are many mutual benefits, such as Benenden sixth form students mentoring our Year 11 GCSE students, subject leaders meeting to share expertise and resources and the heads of both schools being on each other’s governing bodies working together to monitor and improve teaching and learning in both schools.

“I would strongly encourage other state and independent schools to get involved in partnership, in the interests of the wellbeing and education of their students as there will be many gains and benefits for the students, schools and for society.”

The Impact of Independent Schools on the UK Economy” report by Oxford Economics

Findings of the 2018 report:

• In 2017 alone, independent schools (including those not within ISC membership) contributed £13.7 billion to the economy, and generated £4.1 billion of annual tax revenues and 303,000 jobs, (more than the total number of jobs across Liverpool).
  
  
• independent schools save the taxpayer £3.5 billion every year by providing places for pupils who could otherwise be state-funded. This is enough to build more than 20,000 affordable homes.
  
  In 2017, schools that are members of the ISC’s constituent associations saved the taxpayer £3 billion as a result of pupils not taking up a place at a state maintained school. This is equivalent to 3.5% of total state spending on education in England, Scotland and Wales in that year.
  
  
• The total tax impact of ISC schools on its own last year would have been sufficient to fund the annual employment of 108,000 nurses on average full-time pay.
  
  
• Had all independent fee-charging schools ceased to exist in the late 1940s, then UK GDP would have been £73 billion lower in 2017, a shortfall of 3.6%.
  
  
• The 1,300-plus schools represented by the ISC’s associations contributed £11.6 billion to the UK economy in 2017, generating £3.5 billion of annual tax revenues (equivalent to £129 per UK household) and supporting 257,000 jobs.