50 y e a r s
a n n i v e r s a r y I S C t i m e l i n e
first star ted work ing with isC when i was a headmaster some things were time consuming – lik e filling in the annual Census return for my school – but i ver y much appreciated the Census when it was published, and i shared it with my governing body who found it ex tremely useful. ever y year we discussed its meaning for my school then i began to read the excellent isC Bulletin and learned a great deal from it (especially the ar ticles written by rudolf eliott lock har t) snippets from the Bulletin crept into some of my many talks for schools
i also lik ed the fac t that isC continued to collec t exam results data, (which isis had begun in the early 1990s) and when it was published in the newspapers it created good publicit y – for me and for independent schools generally so when i ‘retired’ in 2011 and was ask ed to chair isC, i was delighted to accept.
isC had been impor tant to me as a head and was well wor th saving (yes, i was being employed to save it!). the direc tors said i had t wo elements to my job description: to organise 3-4 board meetings a year, and to stop isC overreaching itself by organising conferences. i n realit y, i had to do a bit more than that, such as talk ing to the press and having regular meetings with m ichael Gove about the vast swathe of reforms he was bringing in. i went with a shopping list from the member associations and, on the whole, we were pleased with the outcome. matthew Burgess was my first CeO and it was he who managed to push back so successfully against the Charit y Commission’s unnecessar y restric tions on our schools.
another k ey moment was the elec tion of theresa may and the quick publication of her education Green Paper, written by n ick timothy, which threatened our schools with the loss of tax relief sitting in the Cabinet O ffice arguing with n ick timothy was great fun, but it was Julie robinson who ultimately persuaded the government to sign a Joint Understanding, which still applies today Julie’s good
relationship with many k ey people is central to the success we have had in recent years.
During Covid, we found ourselves with an impor tant job –tr ying to get Gavin Williamson to think about the relevance of the many decisions he was tak ing to independent schools (was this ruling a requirement for our schools? Why have you not considered the impac t of your decision on boarding schools?) ever y email from the D fe had to be followed by an explanator y email from us to isC schools
Work ing with the i ndependent schools i nspec torate is another interesting job We suppor t the isi, but sometimes we choose to question aspec ts of their crucial func tion. i found that, as chairman, i could have friendly chats with the chair of isi that could help diffuse arguments that were brewing.
isC does those things that individual member associations either cannot do on their own or don’t choose to do on their own much of that has been getting legal advice about issues of the day or negotiating with the D fe. We have employed many excellent staff, including those work ing for isC today We collec t increasing amounts of data that allow us to speak with honest y and authorit y to those who challenge our sec tor. Having an office in central london has enabled our members to meet together, share stories and agree policies. i t has been a great pleasure work ing with the leaders of the isC member associations – impressive people who do good for their schools
Here’s to the nex t 50 years of isC!
Barnaby Lenon CBE ISC chairman
T h e I S C t i m e l i n e
the i ndependent schools Council (isC ) was formed from the i ndependent schools Joint Council (isJC ) and the i ndependent schools i nformation ser vice (isis).
i n 1986 the t wo organisations merged and in 1998 took the name of the i ndependent schools Council (isC ).
isis begins on a regional basis until national isis is launched in late 1972 and incorporated in 1973
isJC is established in 1974 isJC and isis are separate organisations bet ween 1974 and 1985
i n 1986 isJC and isis become a single organisation, retaining the distinc tive identit y of national isis as the press and public relations arm.
i n 1998 isJC is renamed as isC ISC 1998 ...
1967
isis begins as a regional initiative
However, as Dr John r ae explains in his book The Public S chool Revolution – Britain’s Independent S chools 1964-1979, it was “felt that the independent sector needed a stronger and more professional central organisation that could speak with authorit y for all independent schools.” this leads to the formation of the national i ndependent schools i nformation ser vice (isis).
1973
isis is incorporated on 23 march 1973, having been launched the previous year according to the memorandum and ar ticles of association for national isis, it is formed with the objec t of “promoting the interests of the independent sector at a national level and to suppor t and work for the continued existence of the schools ”
the memorandum and ar ticles of association lists the following nine member associations as initially sitting on the isis Joint Council that manage the ser vice. these being:
• association of Governing Bodies of Public schools (G.B.a.)
• association of Governing Bodies of Girls Public schools (G.B.G.s.a.)
• i ncorporated association of Preparator y schools (i a P s )
• Headmasters Conference (H m C )
• Public schools Bursars association (P.s.B.a.)
• association of Headmistresses of Girls Boarding schools (a.H.G.B.s.)
• societ y of Headmasters of i ndependent schools (s.H.m.i.s.)
• association of Headmistresses of Preparator y schools (a H m P s )
• association of i ndependent Direc t Grant schools for Girls (a i D G s )
the first chairman of the isis Joint Council is Joyce Cadbur y the isis Joint Council is the governing body of the information ser vice
the first direc tor of isis is Donald lindsay CBe
1974
the i ndependent schools Joint Committee (later the i ndependent schools Joint Council, isJC ) is constituted to consider matters of polic y and administration in which its member associations have a common interest. i t represents these associations in joint discussions with Depar tments of state and other organisations.
according to Dr John r ae there was a “need to have a single body that could represent all independent schools. ISIS put the case for independence and provided an information ser vice for prospective parents, but it had not been designed to decide matters of polic y nor did it have the authorit y to do so ” i t is this that leads to the formation of isJC.
i n november 1974 isJC gives evidence on behalf of all independent schools to the Goodman Committee on the law relating to charities.
lik e the isis Joint Council, the isJC Board is made up of the associations; the same associations (of governors, heads, and bursars) as represented on the managing council of isis.
i n 1974, isis publishes the first annual Census the founding chairman of isJC is John Ganzoni, lord Belstead.
the founding secretar y of isJC is Jack Walesby
1977
lady Joyce Waley- Cohen becomes chairman of isJC tim Devlin succeeds Donald lindsay as direc tor of isis. He was previously education correspondent at the times isJC obtains assurance from the secretar y of state that teachers at independent schools will not be excluded from the state teachers’ scheme (pensions)
1978
the isis association is established by tim Devlin i t aims to be both a suppor ters’ club for the sec tor, as well as a source of funding for political ac tivit y unencumbered by restric tions on moneys derived from schools’ (and therefore charities’) subscriptions thousands of parents join, paying £5 for membership. the parents of ac tress Felicit y K endal, Geoffrey and laura K endal, who live nearby, come and volunteer.
the isis association finances the employment of a political liaison officer, creation of campaigning literature (e.g. in suppor t of the assisted Places scheme), and ISIS News, later the ISIS Magazine and later still mISC (the magazine of the Independent S chools Council)
Before the general elec tions of 1987, 1992 and 1997 there are many i ndependent school ac tion Groups (isaGs) running under the auspices of the isis association. David Woodhead speaks at many of these, including one attended by 2,000 people at liverpool's Philharmonic Hall isaGs are par ticularly strong in areas - such as the citieswhere there is a concentration of independent senior day schools, e.g. direc t grant grammar schools.
isis moves to 26 Cax ton street, sW1H 0rG in 1977/78 i n 1978 the scottish Council of i ndependent schools (sCis) is founded
1979
i n late 1978 or 1979, tim Devlin sets up isis i nternational, the (self-financing) international recruitment suppor t arm of isis. the first direc tor of isis i nternational is John Buchanan. isis does not pay him a salar y, this is paid for by the philanthropist and international businessman John Jer wood Direc tors include Wing Cdr John towey OBe, Paul H igh and Jan shilling, before it is wound up in 2005/6. isis i nternational is set up so that isis can concentrate on its core ac tivities, whilst isis i nternational (later isCis i nternational) provides guidance and advice to independent schools across the UK on how to recruit pupils successfully from overseas i t represents UK schools at events and exhibitions across the world, promoting UK boarding in general and offering individual consultanc y and placement ser vices to parents based overseas seek ing a UK boarding school
Dorothy Dak in OBe becomes chairman of isis.
The late 1970s (-2004)
the first edition of Choosing Your Independent S chool, edited by tim Devlin, is published. this comprehensive guide to member schools includes sec tions on the sec tor in general, choosing a school and financing independent education. David Woodhead (national direc tor of isis from 1985) edits it from 1985 until 2004 (latterly as The ISC Guide to Accredited Independent S chools) when its func tions are largely subsumed by the isC website.
1980
the i ndependent schools association (isa) joins the Board as a member association. Jack Walesby is succeeded by Jeremy Bird as secretar y of isJC
1981
sir George sinclair becomes chairman of isJC
1982/83
the isis office moves to 56 Buck ingham Gate, sW1e 6aG
the isJC office is on vic toria street, sW1 OeX
1983
With labour committed to the abolition of independent schools, isis commissions and publishes the Joint Opinion of anthony lester QC and David Pannick (later lord lester of Herne H ill and lord Pannick KC ) on the protec tions provided to independent education under UK and international law.
at around this time Pauline mathias becomes chairman of isis.
1984
lady Bett y Johnston (later CBe) becomes chairman of isJC
1985
Dr ar thur Hearnden (later OBe) is appointed general secretar y of isJC and David Woodhead becomes national direc tor of isis the first isJC Bulletin is published, summarising essential national education and political information for schools in member associations
isJC engages with the assessment of Per formance Unit of the Depar tment of education and science on teaching materials relevant to the exams system. the Depar tment liaises with isJC on the distribution of the published materials to independent schools.
1986
On 13 Januar y 1986, isJC and national isis become a single organisation, retaining the distinc tive identit y of national isis as the press and public relations arm David Woodhead remains as national direc tor of isis (later the i ndependent schools Council information ser vice) until april 2004 and toby low, lord aldington, becomes chairman of isJC. after the isJC/isis merger, the isis managing council is k nown as the national isis Committee. this is separate from and in addition to the governing council (Board) of isJC and concerns itself entirely with the ac tivities and func tions of national isis
Chairmen for the national isis Committee, following on from Pauline mathias, are: anne mustoe (saint Felix school, southwold), Dr margaret spurr OBe Dl (Bolton school Girls’ Division), John Baggaley (silcoates school, Wak efield), Geoffrey Park er ( the manchester Grammar school) and roger trafford (Dragon school, Oxford)
1987
isis publishes Independent S chools - The Legal Case, a new version of the lester/Pannick Joint Opinion with a foreword by leslie, lord scarman OBe QC, demonstrating that “ a UK Government could not lawfully prohibit fee -paying, independent education or remove the benefits of charitable status or impose VAT in respect of such education”.
i t is republished in 1991 together with an Opinion on charitable status from sir William Goodhar t QC (later lord Goodhar t) these Opinions are influential in the 1990s (when Jack straw was shadow education secretar y) in dissuading labour from pursuing an ex treme polic y against independent schools.
i n 1987, isJC sets up the Westminster Centre to deal with educational – as opposed to administrative or political –matters i ts first task is to advise and suppor t independent schools on the teaching of design and technology. i t commissions Accommodating Technology in S chools, advising them on adapting to this element in the national Curriculum
1988
isJC sets up the accreditation, review and Consultanc y ser vice (arCs), a system of inspec tion for independent schools in parallel to the ser vice provided by O fsted for the state sec tor. arCs also assesses the credentials of schools applying for membership of the isJC constituent associations. i t is run by a former Hm i nspec tor and continues until the i ndependent schools i nspec torate (isi) is established in the year 2000.
the Headmasters’ Conference (HmC, later the Heads’ Conference) already has a long-standing accreditation visit process for determining who becomes a member, and remains outside of the new isJC procedure.
1989
Janet, Baroness young becomes chairman of isJC and Dick Davison joins isis as press officer, later becoming joint direc tor of isis and direc tor of communications for isC
isJC sets up the Work experience scheme, designed to help in overcoming the shor tage of teachers
1990
isJC forms a new Curriculum Committee to help to bring independent schools into line with the national Curriculum. i t liaises with the school examinations and assessment Council on which isJC is represented.
a new isis logo is designed
1991
isJC establishes with the i nland revenue the principle that members of staff with children in independent schools can be charged at marginal cost to the school rather than having to pay full fees.
1992
m ichael mcCrum becomes chairman of isJC
1994
Janet, Baroness young, is elec ted chairman of isJC again and the isis association is renamed the Friends of i ndependent schools (Fis) i t is a way of mobilising parents and other suppor ters of independent education to discourage political par ties from removing the charitable status of independent schools and imposing vat on their fees
1995
the national isis strings academy is founded by viviane ronchetti with David Woodhead i t later becomes the national youth string Orchestra with four ensembles.
1997
Dr alistair Cook e OBe, later lord lexden, becomes general secretar y of isJC in succession to Dr ar thur Hearnden OBe ian Beer CBe, becomes chairman.
1 9 9 8 t o d a t e : I S C
1998
On 17 Februar y, isJC becomes the i ndependent schools Council (isC ). isis continues as the media and public relations arm of isC
1999
around this time par tnership with the Blair Government develops in a produc tive and creative way and there is a par ticular focus in developing stronger relationships bet ween the independent and maintained sec tors.
the isis office moves to 35-37 Grosvenor Gardens House, sW1W 0Bs. isC is already at that location but in a separate office the i ndependent schools Council teacher induc tion panel (isCtip) is founded
2000
the i ndependent schools i nspec torate (isi) is set up as par t of isC. Up until april 2000 there had been t wo inspec tion regimes, each with its own framework . schools belonging to the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HmC, subsequently the Heads’ Conference), were inspec ted by HmC ’ s schools i nspec tion ser vice (sis) the accreditation, review and Consultanc y ser vice (arCs) inspec ted schools in the other isC associations i n april 2000, these inspec tion ser vices merge to form a common inspec tion ser vice called the i ndependent schools i nspec torate (isi), work ing to a common framework and procedures. Before the amalgamation, arCs had published inspec tion repor ts under the banner of isi.
2000/01
the Dresden scholars’ scheme is founded by David Woodhead Boys and girls from schools in Dresden and elsewhere in saxony come to Britain on scholarships awarded by boarding schools this operates under the auspices of the Dresden trust from 2004.
1 9 9 8 t o d a t e : I S C
2001
the isC and national isis offices are merged, and isis - which had been the more publicly visible communications arm of the isCoperates thereafter as the i ndependent schools Council information ser vice (isCis) and later as the i ndependent schools Council information & advice ser vice (isCias.) Future editions of the Census are branded as isC Jean scott becomes chairman
2007
Dame angela rumbold DBe becomes chairman isi is incorporated as a private company.
2008
the Council of British i nternational schools (COBis) joins the Board as a heads’ association. David lyscom becomes general secretar y, following rear admiral Chris Parr y CBe Dame Judith mayhew Jonas DBe becomes chairman.
2004
Jonathan shephard becomes general secretar y.
the Welsh i ndependent schools Council ( WisC ) becomes fully operational
2004/05
the isC office moves to 30 Orange street, WC2H 7HH.
2006
edward Gould becomes chairman and a new isC logo is designed.
2011
responding to concerns about threats to the charitable status of independent schools, isC tak es legal ac tion against the Charit y Commission’s new public benefit guidance and succeeds in having it withdrawn.
matthew Burgess becomes general secretar y, Barnaby lenon CBe becomes chairman following interim chairman toby mullins. the i ndependent schools Council teacher induc tion panel (isCtip) is separated from isC the isC information and advice ser vice (isCias) is disbanded and the Board is restruc tured
2014
COBis becomes an affiliate association of isC Charlotte vere (later Baroness vere of norbiton) becomes ac ting general secretar y. the first Oxford Economics Impact Repor t is published.
2015
the schools together website is created and the isC Bulletin is reinstated Julie robinson becomes general secretar y/chief executive and the office moves to 27 Queen anne’s Gate, sW1H 9BU
2017 the first Celebrating Par tnerships book let is produced
2018
a formal Joint Understanding ( JU) is agreed bet ween isC and the D fe committing both to promoting par tnership work ing bet ween independent and state schools.
2019 - present
isC and associations once again respond to political threats to abolish independent schools, amend charitable status, and charge vat on fees. as in 1994, schools, parents and others are mobilised to discourage political par ties from hostile policies.
2024
isC celebrates its 50th full year of operation at a reception in the House of lords hosted by lord lexden OBe.
