THE CHANGING EDUCATION LANDSCAPE
Independent Schools need to channel their inner chameleon more than ever as they are being forced to adapt and change.
Over the past year, the private school sector has faced significant upheaval following the introduction of VAT on school fees and the removal of other tax reliefs. This has inevitably led to rising fees and increased financial pressures and , in some cases, to falling enrolments and school closures. Yet despite this, British Independent Schools remain steadfastly committed to providing a truly excellent education and this was the overarching mood at the recent British Boarding Schools Workshop, attended by over 350 schools and agents from around the world. Our MD Mary had the opportunity to meet with representives of over 30 outstanding boarding schools and returned with a renewed sense of optimism for the future.
Like all involved in this incredibly worthwhile and important work, we are dismayed at the obstacles that are being put in the way of students wanting to come to school or university in the UK, including increased fees for visas and the NHS surcharge, restrictions on post-graduation work visas and the right to bring dependents to the UK while studying, and for younger students, the imposition of VAT on private school fees. This has forced many schools to raise fees by around 20% while simultaneously expanding bursary provision to support families. Schools are now grappling with how to balance affordability, accessibility and sustainability in this new environment, while parents are weighing the financial strain against the perceived benefits of independent education.
It is a complex moving picture with mergers and acquisitions, strategic partnerships, investments, changes to co-education, sad closures and the announcements of new openings of British educational establishments abroad. There may also be further legislative change with the new Schools Bill extending regulatory oversight to a wider range of educational providers. This alters what "counts" as a school - affecting many smaller or specialised independent settings. Right now, it can feel as if our government is failing to recognise the importance of international education and the value it brings not just to individuals but to the global community.
As education consultants, it is our great privilege to be able to help families from all over the world who are looking for ways to educate their children abroad, especially in the UK. Where the government falls short in proudly promoting all that British education has to offer, schools and agents like Education Advisers must step in to fill the gap and make sure that the excellence of the sector is celebrated as widely as possible.
Through our websites and in our work as consultants for families from all over the world looking for the best schools for their children, we are committed to publicising the exceptional work that schools are doing to educate young people and promote intercultural understanding and a sense of global responsibility. This month we celebrate the outstanding results from IB schools around the world as we publish the IB-Schools.com League Tables
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