What are independent schools and what are the benefits of them?

DECIDING on the right school for your child is one of the biggest decisions a parent has to make. 

And with so much choice, it’s no surprise some mums and dads end up feeling overwhelmed. 

One of the first things to decide is whether you’d prefer your child to go to a state or an independent private school. 

What is the difference between an independent school and a private school? 

Nothing, they are just different names for the same thing. 

Independent or private schools operate outside of the government, meaning they have no say over admissions, the curriculum, and how they assess their students. 

They charge their pupils a fee to attend, typically between £10,000 and £43,000.

They tend to also offer bursaries and scholarships to a small number of students. 

Despite not being run by the government, this does not mean they are ignored – all must be registered and regularly inspected. 

The other major difference is that independent schools do not have to follow the national curriculum. Instead, the school’s board decides what they choose to focus on. 

This is often influenced by their teacher’s interests and specialties.

Many independent schools are considered all-through schools, meaning children attend from the age of four or five, until the age of 16.

Are independent schools better than public?

Experts at said: “Not necessarily – it depends on how good the particular independent or state school is. 

“Not all independent schools are academic powerhouses and many state schools are academically excellent.” 

Parents are encouraged to check the school’s most recent Ofsted reports and performance tables to see how they compare to others in their local area. 

According to the ’s 2022 annual census, 93 per cent of pupils who leave ISC schools go on to higher education. 

Of these, A further 58 per cent go on to a top 25 university. 

What are the benefits of independent schools?

Depending on your priorities and what will work best for your child, there are various possible benefits of choosing an independent school. 

Most tend to have both smaller school and class sizes.

According to ISC, the average size of their private schools is between 100 and 125 pupils. Most have less than 300. 

It is often argued that this allows interactive group work and the opportunity for more one-to-one support.  

Privately-funded schools also typically offer a wide range of extracurricular activities, including sports and music clubs, plus the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. 

They may also have more or specialised facilities, such as rugby pitches and dance studios, due to funding from private investors. 

How many independent schools are there in the UK?

Currently, there are around 2,420 independent private schools in the UK, providing education for more than 615,000 pupils, according to research by . 

They argue that when ranked by GCSE results and price to attend, the top independent private school in the UK is St Paul’s Girls’ School, based in Hammersmith in London. 

More than 99.26 per cent of their students gain a grade 9 – 7 upon leaving, and fees here start from £24,891. 

The Godolphin & Latymer School, also in Hammersmith in London, falls in second place, with 97.95 per cent of their students achieving grades 9 – 7.

It costs £22,591 per year for a student to enroll here.