Independent schools need to provide more public benefit

July 14 2009

The Charity Commission has said two of the five schools it has investigated are not providing enough public benefit.

It says that the schools do not offer enough bursaries, a decision which could then lead to them raising fees in a bid to retain their charitable status.

Thanks to the 2006 charities act, charities have to prove they are a benefit to the public in order to receive funding.

The head of the Independent Schools Council, David Lyscom, warned the commission's ruling could "inevitably lead to fee increases for the vast majority of parents, putting the benefits of an independent education beyond the reach of a greater number of children."

Most people teaching in England work in public sector schools and according to a survey from the National College for School Leadership private sector workers are moving into public sector teaching.

The college's research found almost half (47 per cent) of private sector managers considering moving into public jobs are thinking about teaching in the UK.

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