Invest in the long view for a wider education
Independent schools provide so much more than formal lessons, learns Anna Dove
Scotland’s independent schools offer an unrivalled package: an outstanding academic education delivered by enthusiastic and experienced staff, high standards of pastoral care and a smorgasbord of extracurricular choices both on and off the playing field.
Of the 72 schools that are members of the Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS), many offer an all-through education, with some incorporating nurseries for children from age three months.
Buying into the sector is an investment with average day pupil fees in Scotland sitting at around £11,500 a year and upwards of £30,000 a year for full boarding.
With that in mind, some parents are selective about the years their children spend in independent education.
For many, going independent for Sixth Form seems like the obvious choice as it is viewed as good preparation for university, but John Edward, director at SCIS, says it makes better sense for children to start in the junior years.
“If you are interested in attainment and achievement for your children in a broader sense then you need to be thinking about giving them the best possible start rather than cramming it all in at the end,” says Edward.
“There is such a focus now on the junior end of school. Particularly if you are tapping into an institution that goes right up to age 18 and offers outdoor learning, the younger children can benefit from that too.”
At all-through schools, early years classes often have access to specialist teachers and extensive facilities.
Edward says: “If a child is learning to speak French or Spanish at age three or four it won’t seem alien to them later on. Most of our schools will be looking to simple language learning right from P1.
“It is important to pique a child’s
People are thinking more and more about the nature of the education provided
interest at that early stage. If they are part of a bigger organisation that has the facilities and equipment, they will be exposed to music, sport and other outward experiences.”
With many parents already accounting for nursery provision, Edward explains that an independent junior school is simply a progression from that, rather than a sudden jump up.
Independent schools across the UK are constantly under scrutiny about rising fees and the accessibility of the education they provide.
The Scottish charity regulator OSCR’S charity test has reformed the sector in Scotland, with bursaries now available for up to 100 per cent fee assistance.
“Affordability is something that schools are very conscious of,” says Edward. “There is quite a considerable difference between the south of England and Scotland.
“We would argue that in terms of value for money it is greater in Scotland because you are getting the same experience for less.
“All the figures show that Scotland is the cheapest part of the UK in terms of independent education at current fee level but also in terms of the rate of fee increases.”
While the initial price may look daunting, it covers a wide range of both academic and extracurricular activities, and with none of the SCIS schools more than 20 minutes from the countryside or a beach, there is a strong argument for the geographical advantages in Scotland, too.
SCIS schools believe in investing in excellent academic, pastoral and coaching staff with two-thirds of fees going towards their salaries.
Edward says: “The fees may seem like a lot up front but it is all inclusive, whether that is Duke of Edinburgh Awards, a range of music and arts provision, sport – both personal and team – or whether that is just subject choice.
“The breadth of subject choice that our schools offer doesn’t come cheap and schools are conscious of that.”
Current and former pupils often go on to great things; competing in sports at a regional, national or even international level, or securing places at top universities around the world.
But it’s not all about success, as Edward explains: “There is something educational about being disappointed. It’s a good life skill to learn and it teaches resilience.
“The schools’ ability to adjust and alter and create their own curriculum and focus on what they think is important in life is increasingly necessary.
“The image of the sector used to be of a very traditional education but, in fact, I think it is a very atypical form of education.
“As an offer, an independent education is more valuable than ever. People are thinking more and more about the nature of the education provided; what is on offer in terms of classroom-based activities and-outdoor learning, and how does that prepare children for a more complicated world.”
Scottish Council of Independent Schools, 61 Dublin Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6NL, 0131 556 2316, info@scis.org.uk www.scis.org.uk