Top ten reasons to choose an independent school

Pupils who attend private schools are four times more likely to get three As at A-level.

1 Small class sizes mean more attention

The average class size in independent schools is between 12 and 15. In state schools, this figure can rise to more than 35, even for the younger age groups.

Smaller class sizes are even more important for children with special learning needs, and many independent schools cater for such pupils exceptionally well.

My son has dyslexia and his state school let him down

2 The discipline is excellent

In a Mori poll last year, 30 per cent of parents cited better discipline as a reason why they would choose an independent school. This was up 14 per cent on a similar poll conducted in 2004, illustrating just how much parental concern over discipline has grown.

With up to 1000 children being suspended from UK state schools every day, problems with discipline are still no nearer to being resolved. Knife crime, chaos in the classroom and teachers’ fear of violent pupils all compound to make some comprehensives alarming places. Discipline is one of the cornerstones of independent education, and heads and their staff work hard to maintain this.

3 Children get better grades…

Statistics show that pupils who attend private schools are four times more likely to get three As at A-level than their state school counterparts. In 2008, 30.3 per cent of sixth formers at independent schools achieved this feat in comparison with 7.6 per cent of state school pupils.

While this is excellent news for independents, it highlights an alarming inadequacy elsewhere. There must be a proportionate amount of equally bright children at state schools, but they are missing out on the top grades due to an inadequate educational environment.

4 They attend leading universities…

In 2008, students at fee-paying schools made up 43.9 per cent of those given places at Oxford University and 41 per cent of those at Cambridge. Also, 92.9 per cent of pupils leaving independent schools went on to higher education in 2008.

5 Private school pupils ‘earn more’

Studies prove that 28.6 per cent of pupils whose parents paid full independent school fees earned £70,000 or more by their 30s. Only 7.6 per cent of state-educated children earned the equivalent amount.

Research has also shown that a large proportion of ministers, journalists, barristers and judges were educated in the independent sector. (Perhaps then they can pay you back for all the sacrifices you made to keep them in private school!)

6 Huge financial help is on offer

There’s a whopping £300 million of financial assistance available at UK private schools, in the form of scholarships and bursaries. At least 30 per cent of pupils benefit from such assistance and the numbers could rise through the economic downturn. With sibling discounts available and some schools offering free terms, now is the time to ask about financial help.

Bursaries save you a fortune

7 Every pupil counts

At good independent schools no pupil ‘slips through the net’ or goes unnoticed. Some schools, like Kingswood in Bath, have a system whereby each pupil has a termly review of their progress with a  tutor who collates reports from other teachers to see how the pupil is doing. If he or she excels at a subject and wants to pursue this, more focused help and advice are offered. As Dr John Newton, headteacher of Taunton School in Devon, says: “If they’re good at something, we’ll find out what that is.”

8 Independent school is a rich cultural experience

The best private schools involve children in community projects, for instance volunteering as part of the Duke of Edinburgh Award and the International Baccalaureate, or just for the sake of it.

Extra-curricular activities and trips overseas broaden the children’s horizons and take them away from the games console. The best private schools aim to create happy, healthy, rounded individuals, and are not merely exam factories.

Extra-curricular activities are a great leveller

9 The facilities are superb

From flood-lit Astroturf, to state-of-the-art theatres and recording studios, the facilities at good independent schools tend to be outstanding. This helps children to develop more sophisticated tastes and improved prowess in subjects that may well lead to rewarding careers.

10 Kids make friends for life

Many people who attend boarding school speak with great fondness of the friendships that they forged there, which often last a lifetime. The closeness that is formed through adolescence at an independent often stands children in stead for life, and provides a wealth of happy memories.

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