7 Benefits of Private Schools

Wondering why people pay to send their child to an independent school? There are more advantages to a private education than you might think…

Size

Class sizes tend to be considerably smaller in private schools. An average state-funded primary school now has 26.6 pupils per class, but many classes have more than 30 children and not all classes have a full-time teaching assistant. According to the Independent Schools Council, which represents 80% of independent schools in the UK, the average pupilto-teacher ratio in private schools is just 8.9. Fewer pupils per teacher means more individual attention. Plus, independent schools tend to be smaller than state schools. This means they can often build a close-knit school community, where pupils know more of their peers.

Culture

Many independent schools (particularly those that offer boarding facilities) attract children from overseas, giving children a greater opportunity to socialise and learn from other cultures.

Facilities

Independent schools often offer better facilities than state-funded ones and more opportunities for trying different types of sport. This may be one of the reasons that more than 40% of the UK’s medalwinning athletes at the London 2012 Olympics were privately educated, even though only 7% of the UK population have attended independent schools.

Art and music

Budget cuts have led to state schools needing to make difficult choices. Art, drama and music have been some of the main casualties. Research carried out before the pandemic showed a 47% decrease in theatre and drama opportunities and a 36% decrease in music activities.

Grades

Children at independent schools typically achieve higher grades than their state-educated peers. This year, 61% of GCSEs gained by privately educated children were grade 7 or above, compared to 26% of those gained by state-educated children.

University choice

State-educated pupils are often at a disadvantage when it comes to getting places at top universities. Not only are young people who have studied at a grammar or private school more likely to get the grades they need for Cambridge and similar settings, they’re also more likely to be accepted than their state-school peers.

Earning potential

Privately educated people typically earn more than their state-educated peers. In fact, by the time they’re 42, people who have been privately educated are likely to have earned around £200,000 extra. There are many reasons for this; for example, privately educated people are more likely to be able to afford to take unpaid internships to kickstart their careers. However, higher grades, better universities and more connections are likely to play a pretty big role in helping people to climb the ladder.

Next steps…

If you’ve read this article and thought, “Well, that’s all very well, but I can’t afford the fees,” you’re certainly not alone. Independent schools now cost, on average, more than £15,000 a year. However, many do offer means-tested bursaries and scholarships, so it’s certainly worth doing some initial research before you discount them.