Independent School Choices

Contents

The Choices
Boarding or Day School?
Single-sex or Co-educational?
Prep Schools
Senior Schools
Admission and Selection
Regulatory Information
Special Educational Needs

A great strength of the independent sector is the choice and diversity it offers. Regardless of their child's ability, parents can choose "girls" or "boys" only schools or co-educational schools; schools which are boarding or day schools; senior or junior; rural or urban; large or small. Independent schools are available to provide education from age 3 to 19. There are many senior school that are boys only up to the GCSE level, but admit girls from the age of 16. Many Independent schools have a long history steeped with tradition and can offer a unique cultural environment for the education of children.

Parents from every sort of background send their children to independent schools. About half of the children entering independent schools have parents who were educated in the state system.

Independent schools have many ideals in common. The sector has a strong tradition of academic attainment, good examination results, sound discipline and a commitment to a wide range of sport and extra-curricular activities. Some are Christian foundations, many have long-established traditions and all strive to offer a high quality of education within a framework where the focus is on the development and care of the individual. Pupils are encouraged to develop their talents and to pursue new interests through clubs and societies, sport, outdoor activities and community service. Meetings are often arranged between schools at which pupils can meet and share interests.

Many schools provide help for children whose first language is not English, and special tuition is available. Guardianship arrangements are available for those whose families live outside the United Kingdom, and many other practical details such as transport to and from airports are looked after by the schools, working in partnership with the parents.

Boarding or Day School?

Most children at independent schools are day pupils, however about 14% do opt to board. Modern boarding schools, which bears little resemblance to the stereotyped image, offer many advantages including a wider choice of schools and access to a wide range of facilities and activities.

Most boarders think it is more fun to board than be a day pupil. Boarding arrangements are normally very flexible and permit frequent contacts with home. Most boarding schools have day places too, so children can start off as day pupils and convert to boarding later if it attracts them.

Great importance is attached to the creation of a friendly, family environment in which children are able to settle and feel at home. The schools create a close-knit community where children can study and also enjoy a rich variety of extra-curricular activities. Some schools offer weekly boarding and all encourage a close relationship with parents and family.

For more information visit the Boarding Schools Association website.

Single-sex or Co-educational?

The independent sector can still offer junior schools for boys or girls only. At the secondary stage, some parents believe their son or daughter will make more progress without the distraction of the opposite sex. On the other hand, you may think it is more natural if boys and girls are educated together and most independent schools now are mixed.

In many areas of the country, only the independent sector can offer the choice of single-sex schools. There are more girls' schools in the independent sector than in the entire state sector in England.

Powerful arguments are advanced in favour of both single-sex and co-educational schools. You must make up your mind on the basis of what will suit your child.

Prep Schools

Most prep schools prepare pupils for entry to independent senior schools. Many use the Common Entrance examinations for boys and girls, principally at 13-plus or 11-plus. Some parents choose prep schools simply to give their children a good foundation without necessarily intending them to go on to independent senior schools.

Prep schools cover the primary, middle and (increasingly) the nursery stages of education; nursery and pre-prep departments usually cover the age range 2-7 within prep schools that may cater up to 11 for girls and 13 for boys.

Today's prep schools take the best from both traditional and modern educational methods. The National Curriculum often forms a foundation which is greatly extended to include other subjects, activities and sports to ensure a broad and balanced educational experience. Unlike state primary schools, prep schools employ specialist teachers to teach individual subjects, especially to older pupils. They have smaller class sizes than state schools - typically between 15 and 20 to a class - so that teachers can give more time and attention to individual needs. Prep schools tend to include the introduction of foreign languages from an early age, stream pupils by ability so that the brightest are not held back and slower learners are given more time, test progress on a regular basis, set higher expectations and provide a longer teaching day than in state primary schools.

Prep schools belong, predominantly, to one of two professional associations: the Incorporated Association of Preparatory Schools (IAPS) or the Independent Schools Association (ISA).

Senior Schools

Senior schools cater for pupils aged between 11 (or 13) and 19. Many of them also have their own, or linked, junior schools. There is a wide choice of senior school types as described above.

Many schools are small, while the larger ones are often divided into ‘houses’ of between 40 and 60 pupils each. Traditional grammar schools usually cater for day pupils only and they select children for their academic ability by examination for entry at 11+.

Admission and Selection

Each school has its own admissions policy and entry. Many junior schools and even some senior schools admit pupils on a first-come-first-served basis, so early application is advised.

Many independent senior schools set some form of entrance test. The difficulty of these tests and the standard required for admission vary and will be related to the type of school.

Entry to senior school is usually by way of a written examination, often combined with an interview. Combined prep and senior schools may admit pupils from their junior departments to the senior school without examination.

Some of the so-called "public schools", which admit on the basis of performance in the Common Entrance examination, are also academically selective, admitting only boys and girls with the highest marks. Many others, however, take a much wider range of ability, some after an interview and simple test.

Regulatory Information

All independent schools, both day and boarding, must, by law, be registered with the Department for Education and Skills. As a condition of registration and continued registration, the schools must reach and maintain standards set out in regulations.

The regulations cover the quality of education provided; the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils; the welfare, health and safety of pupils; the suitability of proprietors and staff; the premises and accommodation; the provision of information for parents; and the way in which complaints are dealt with. These aspects will be examined prior to registration during inspections by Ofsted for the purpose of determining whether a school meets the required standard for registration. An independent school will not be allowed to operate and admit pupils until registration is granted by the DFES. Once registration is granted, standards will be monitored during a regular six-yearly cycle of inspections.

Schools will be inspected by either Ofsted or by the Independent Schools Inspectorat (in the case of a school being a member of an association within the Independent Schools Council). Independent boarding schools are also inspected by the Commission for Social Care Inspection at least every four years to confirm standards of welfare. Fire precautions are inspected by local fire brigades. These systems of inspection are aimed at supporting schools in reaching and sustaining satisfactory standards.

These requirements do not seek to interfere with an independent schools freedom to conduct the day-to-day running of their school, but seek to achieve an appropriate balance which protects pupils and safeguards parents' interests. Examples of these freedoms are to offer a curriculum that is not the National Curriculum; to determine for themselves their holidays and term dates; their own admissions and exclusions criteria; their examination policy; to set the fees charged or whether to have a governing body.

A school must pass an Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) accreditation inspection to qualify for membership of an association within ISC. Schools are evaluated on their educational standards (including attainment, learning and behaviour), quality of teaching, assessment and recording, curriculum and extra-curricular activities, staffing, premises and resources, links with parents and the community, pupils’ personal development and pastoral care, management, efficiency, aims and ethos.

Special Educational Needs