Private schools increase pupil intake

April 30 2008

An increasing number of parents are opting to send their children to private schools, recent figures have revealed.

The statistics from the Independent Schools Council (ISC), which represents around 1,300 establishments across the country, show that the number of pupils attending private schools has risen by 0.8 per cent.

Chris Parry, chief executive of the ISC, claimed that the slight increase was a testament to the quality of independent learning establishments.

"Despite the current economic climate, increasing numbers of parents are choosing to make sacrifices to invest in high quality education and schooling," he said.

There are now 511,677 pupils attending private schools in England, despite the fact that the fees rose by 5.7 per cent to an average of £3,751. The figure for boarding schools is £7,353.

Recently, the headteachers of Eton and St Paul's private schools have announced their intention to boycott this year's exam league tables.

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