Independent School Management Plus - Spring 2024

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DISTRIBUTION

Print and digital copies of Independent School Management Plus are distributed to headteachers, principals, bursars, marketing, development and admissions leads in every independent school in the UK, plus British international schools overseas. The magazine is published four times a year.

© William Clarence Education No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. The information contained in Independent School Management Plus has been published in good faith and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. All liability for loss, disappointment, negligence or damage caused by reliance on the information contained within this publication is hereby excluded to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Foreword

As the Summer Term opens, ‘election talk’ across the media is becoming ever-more febrile, with intense speculation building as to when the Prime Minister is going to name the day. And, as we have known for many months, this time around independent schools are likely to be a central issue which divides the two main parties.

In his interview with Zoe MacDougall (In Conversation with Barnaby Lenon p6), the Chairman of the Independent Schools Council warns that the Labour Party’s plans to impose VAT on school fees will hit middle-income families hard and that difficult decisions will have to be made. Barney Northover picks up on this theme in his article Navigating the Headwinds (p10). Believing that politicians are turning a deaf ear to our arguments against the move on VAT, he urges schools to be honest with themselves about their current and future financial position.

build positive and articulate support for our schools

All agree that strategic planning for the challenges ahead is essential. So, too, is the need to build positive and articulate support for our schools within our local communities. In Making the Case for Ourselves (p14), Carol Chandler-Thompson urges colleagues to recognise the importance of growing meaningful relationships with key stakeholders, echoing Tory Gillingham’s plea that schools should identify and engage with the diverse groups who have an interest in, and impact on, the future of our sector ( Building Partnerships p26).

As Barnaby rightly observes, our schools have a big economic footprint. If they struggle then the communities they serve are likely to struggle as well. Everyone has to understand this.

We need to assemble our friends to support and amplify the message that independent schools make a hugely worthwhile contribution to life in this country; and Westminster needs to listen.

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EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Dr Helen Wright Educational consultant, former Head of St Mary’s Calne and President of the Girls’ Schools Association

Tory Gillingham

AMCIS CEO, former Marketing Director at Pocklington School and Marketing and Development Director at St Peter’s School, York

Heather Styche-Patel leads the Consultancy Services Practice and Commercial Leadership Appointments at RSAcademics.

Ian Hunt School board member in the UK and Middle East, leader of international educational projects and a contributor to the national press

Richard Harman CEO of AGBIS. Previously Headmaster of Aldenham and subsequently Uppingham. Past Chairman of the BSA and HMC

Louise Bennett CEO of IDPE (the Institute of Development Professionals in Education)

David Walker Director, BSA

Nick Gallop Headmaster, Brighton College International School, Bangkok; regular contributor to the TES and editor of Politics Review

Donna Stevens CEO of the Girls’ School Association

Mark

- IN CONVERSATION WITH -

BARNABY LENON

Barnaby Lenon shares some of his cogent opinions on the challenges facing the independent school sector with Zoe MacDougall and urges colleagues to recognise and communicate their achievements.

The big question

As we head towards a general election in the second half of this year, there is a big question in the minds of all those associated with the independent schools sector: will the Labour Party be invited to form a government? And, if so, how will we all be affected by the Labour Party policies to introduce VAT on independent school fees and to take away business rate cuts for independent schools?

Barnaby Lenon has an historical take on this question of the moment.

“Hugely significant?” Barnaby muses. “Well, not as

In the independent schools’ sector, Barnaby Lenon is familiar to us all as Chairman of the Independent Schools Council and former Headmaster of Harrow School. He studied Geography at the University of Oxford and Education at the University of Cambridge and his first teaching post was at Eton.

What is perhaps less well-known is that, following his retirement, Barnaby went on to found the state-funded London Academy of Excellence, a Sixth Form centre targeting academic excellence in Newham, East London. His research findings into how to generate academic success in schools with a significant proportion of under-privileged children are captured in his book Much Promise, published in 2017.

As Dean of Education at the University of Buckingham, a post he has held since 2019, Barnaby trains teachers heading for both the state and independent sectors.

significant as the abolition of Direct Grant schools in 1976.” For those of us with shorter or less accurate memories, Direct Grant schools were selective and independently governed. They charged fees but received government grants to admit poorer pupils who were selected by local authorities. In 1976, the Labour Government of the day abolished the ‘Direct Grants’ awarded to children from low-income families, narrowing down access to those schools, which generally continued to operate as fully independent establishments in receipt of no government funding.

Barnaby continues: “There were hundreds of Direct Grant schools. Many of their pupils were on what we would now call bursaries. Suddenly, that vast raft of pupils, particularly in big cities like Manchester and Birmingham, disappeared.”

This situation is beginning to sound familiar to today. In his direct way, Barnaby makes the analogy crystal clear: “The abolition of Direct Grant schools hit the middle-income families, who could no longer afford to access an independent education once the grants had been taken away. The same thing will happen with VAT, in that it will make our schools more exclusive, with less money to spend on bursaries and partnerships. The changes in independent schools brought about by the abolition of the Direct Grant, and the introduction of VAT on school fees, both limit social mobility, as they close down the access to an independent education to middle- and low-income families.”

Independent schools have survived significant challenges in the past; they will do so again. But will social mobility and widening access once again be the casualties?

Spending cuts

In Barnaby’s opinion, these changes to VAT and business rates are “likely to come in next year”. So how might schools respond? In recent years, schools have looked to increase their bursaries and assisted places, in a commitment to widening access and supporting social mobility. For example, Latymer Upper School, winner of the Independent Schools of the Year award 2023 for Contribution to Social Mobility, promises to have over 300 places supported by bursaries by 2024.

However, with financial changes afoot, Barnaby believes: “One thing schools will have to decide is whether or not they can increase the amount of bursary money. For many parents, this will be a painful experience. And now is the time when the call on bursaries is likely to grow – I’d be very surprised if it didn’t.”

Barnaby outlines some straightforward choices that individual schools may have to make. “Maybe this will involve introducing charges for extra-curricular activities. Cutting A-Level subjects that run on low numbers is another area to look at. Partnership work may suffer. Hard decisions will have to be made.”

Cutting partnership work would be a further blow to the independent sector’s commitment to social mobility and widening access. It’s through cross-sector partnerships with state schools that independent sector schools are able to offer opportunities, experiences and facilities to young people in their local communities.

Balanced, not boastful, cross-sector partnerships

A cross-sector partnership needs to add value to all participating schools. Barnaby is very clear

that, without common benefits and a symbiotic relationship, “It’s just patronising”. Leaders in the state sector need to identify as stakeholders in the independent schools they partner, and vice versa: “So it’s not just the independent school bragging about how wonderful they are, but more importantly, the senior team of the local state school saying this is a great scheme which is mutually beneficial.”

Barnaby, whose career practically embodies the educational cross-sector alliance, believes that balanced, cross-sector relationships between schools negate the idea of elitism sometimes associated with independent schools in the wider press.

...our schools have a big economic footprint...

Partnerships in practice

What does a partnership project look like at the grassroots level within schools? Barnaby speaks plainly about the reality of partnerships, recognising that: “It sounds straightforward when I describe it, but it’s actually a lot of work and quite difficult.” So, he goes on to explain how to make partnerships between state and independent sector schools work in practical terms with the following advice:

1. Identify need by talking to local headteachers.

2. Do your research; there are thousands of partnerships listed on the ISC website.

BARNABY LENON in his own words

On being Headmaster at Harrow: “My ambitions were to improve exam results, to increase the number of applicants to the school, and to ensure that all boys were making maximum use of being at a boarding school. Boarding schools can’t be day schools with hotels attached!”

On educating boys: “I discovered that if you gave boys a choice between the activities that I approved of, or watching television, or simply doing nothing, then they would always choose watching television or doing nothing. So I had to force them to do my activities and, having forced them, they very often fell in love with them, which may have had a big impact on their whole life.”

On choosing a career in education: “All teachers make a significant impact on the lives of the pupils they teach. Quite a lot of my contemporaries at university went on to do more highly paid jobs than mine, but when they look back on their lives, they’re not certain that their jobs had any great value for society.They may have made more money, but when you reach my age having made money isn’t the only basis for assessing your life.”

...hard decisions will have to be made...

3. Be efficient by employing a full-time member of staff to take charge if feasible:.

4. Measure impact through results, surveys and polls. The value of partnerships deserves to be widely celebrated and publicly recognised, and Barnaby’s advice to schools is to produce a special brochure, create a dedicated partnerships page on the school website, and invite the local MP or prospective parliamentary candidates into your school to see for themselves the impact of your cross-sector projects. “If you can’t demonstrate that the partnership has made a good impact, then it’s much less likely to survive.”

The economic impact of independent schools

Communicating the impact of independent schools in their local communities, and in the wider national arena, has been the recent focus of the ISC. In particular, the ISC’s Economic Impact Report, published in December 2022 by Oxford Economics, examines the economic footprint of all independent schools. It also highlights the savings to the taxpayer brought about as a result of independently educated children not taking up the state-funded school places to which they would otherwise be entitled.

In that report, Barnaby notes, “The key finding is that the taxpayer saving made in 2021, as a result of pupils attending an ISC-affiliated school, was £3.8

billion, with the saving relating to all independent school pupils put at £4.4 billion”. It’s hard to argue with straightforward facts, and this report puts forward clear statistics in its economic analysis. In parallel, the ISC is encouraging schools to produce their own, individual Economic Impact Reports, detailing the value of the school to its local economy.

Referring to the Economic Impact Report, Barnaby defines its primary purpose: “It’s to help us explain to politicians that our schools have a big economic footprint in the communities in which they lie. So, before you do something which is likely to damage the independent school, you need to bear in mind that this is not just about the pupils, but that it’s about hundreds of staff, most of whom rely heavily on this school for their family income. At Harrow, we were the biggest employer in the area, we had about five hundred people working there. Independent schools are often the biggest employer in any single town. It’s also about local shops, which often depend on these schools. It’s important that politicians understand, when they’re making decisions about the sector, that independent schools are not just about creating prime ministers or getting good A-Level results, but they’re also important to the local economy.”

Barnaby’s advice about communicating the sector’s economic impact is to “talk about the report as much as possible”. Schools need to get the information out, to stakeholders, to politicians and parliamentary candidates, to the press and to the wider public.

The time is now

History shows us that there is a time for change and a time for challenge. As independent schools are likely to face both change and challenge in the coming months; perhaps now is the time, not to be boastful, but to be bold. ●

ZOE MACDOUGALL is an educational commentator with extensive teaching experience in the independent and maintained sectors.

NAVIGATING THE HEADWINDS

STRATEGIES TO STRENGTHEN YOUR SCHOOL IN AN INCREASINGLY COMPETITIVE MARKET

The political, financial and demographic outlook for independent schools appears increasingly challenging. Barney Northover considers how these businesses can navigate the stormy weather, increase their resilience and continue to flourish.

Independent school leaders will recognise that challenging times lie ahead and they will be making plans to ensure their school remains resilient and successful.

School fee affordability pressures have been with us for some time, with interest rates staying stubbornly high and the official figures showing the UK economy entered a technical recession at the end of 2023.

Demographic predictions add to the gloomy outlook, with government figures1 published last year anticipating that by 2028 there will have been a 10% decline in nursery and primary school pupil numbers relative to the 2023 population. (These figures themselves being already down compared with the pupil population peak in that age group in 2019.) The peak in the secondary school population is projected to be in the 2024-25 academic year, followed by a drop from then on.

Political risk

Our sector is also faced by specific political risks with all the indicators being that a Labour Government will be elected to power before the end of January 2025. In opposition, the Labour Party has been unwavering in its commitment to withdraw the VAT exemption on school fees currently enjoyed by independent

school parents, meaning that VAT will become payable at the full 20% rate, likely by September 2025.

The Independent School Council and others continue to lobby on our behalf, but they report that the politicians are deaf to arguments about:

1) how the tax revenue calculations on which the spending plans are based are flawed because they don’t take into account the price elasticity of demand which will reduce pupil numbers; or how VAT works enabling schools to recover VAT on parts of their expenditure.

2) how most independent schools and their parents are not as affluent as they are presented to be in the media (which is frustrating because it is those misconceptions that have largely shaped the majority of public opinion that supports the Labour plans).

These economic, demographic and political challenges look set to combine to squeeze and

shrink the demand for independent education, inevitably increasing competition between schools. With this in mind, school leaders need to look ahead now and plan for the future.

Strategic planning

A useful framework for strategic planning is to first get a clear understanding of your relevant markets, forecasts and structural trends.

Then you need to make an honest assessment of your current and likely future position in those markets after applying the forecasts to them. Both the

assessment of the relevant markets and your position within them may benefit from some bespoke analysis. For example, the national demographic forecasts may be bleak, but for your day market it is the local demographic forecasts that are relevant and they may be very different (for better or for worse) than the national picture.

Levers for growth and improvement

You should then identify your levers for growth and improvement within the market.

Optimisation

This starts with optimising the performance of your existing school(s) and its wider education business. Whether owned by a commercial operator or a charity, there should be no doubt that an independent school is a business. Over

the long term, all businesses need to be capable of generating a profit or surplus to enable investment.

In what is expected to be a more competitive market, there can be no room for inefficiencies. As well as tightening up on expenditure, some schools may need to change their business models as they seek to maximise fee income. An efficient model that generates surpluses makes schools more resilient and competitive, providing options for investing in the improvement of education provision and keeping fees low.

Reconfiguration

The next lever is to consider whether reconfiguring your school’s offer can capture more demand and help you achieve economies of scale. This may involve changes such as extending year

groups, increasing class sizes or changing the curriculum.

Diversification

You can also consider diversification to reduce your school’s dependency on fee income by way of adopting strategies to diversify your activities. This may be particularly important because of the pressure that fee income is going to come under because of the VAT and demographic factors driving a reduction in the size of many markets.

Diversification options will vary from school to school, but may include:

• bolting on feeders, which could be nurseries or prep schools, depending on your current model;

• increasing commercial activities, such as summer lets, running summer camps and summer schools;

Indicative view on potential avenues to explore when optimising school efficiency

This diagram sets out an equation of how you may seek to generate a surplus and each of the boxes depicted here is a lever that could be pulled to improve and optimise school business efficiency.

Thanks to Cairneagle for permission to share this diagram.

• expanding overseas by way of a franchise model;

• developing an online learning service. Fee dependency can also be reduced by developing fundraising from alumni or current parents.

Strength in numbers?

Forming or joining a group of schools may be a good strategy. This can be seen in the state-funded sector – where in recent years there has been a proliferation of Multi Academy Trusts – and in the independent sector, where it is evident that there is lots of consolidation activity underway in both the commercial and charity-owned parts of the sector. The basic premise for forming a group is that economies of scale provide tangible benefits for school businesses, including:

1) Savings that can be found in relation to overheads and group procurement –generating cost optimisation gains.

2) Specialists who can be employed at group level – thereby reducing the costs of consultants and professional advisers and enabling a better quality of contextualised support for schools in the group.

3) High-quality senior leaders and executives who can be recruited and retained, with career progression opportunities across the group.

4) A strong and motivated board of governors who can be recruited and retained, with the skills and experience to hold high-quality executives to account and provide strategic insight.

5) Resilience that can be built for the group as a whole and individual schools within it by bringing feeder schools within the group, giving more visibility on future pupil numbers, and enabling the group to reach across a broader market with different price points.

6) Confidence to invest in smaller schools within the group which, when they stood alone, would have been worried about running down their reserves or taking on a destabilising level of borrowing.

As market pressures increase, it is to be expected that smaller, standalone schools will consider joining a group as a way to

seek protection from what could be a difficult few years and larger schools – or existing groups – are likely to want to continue to grow for the benefits of scale.

Schools that are considering a merger or acquisition, or making significant changes to their business models, should be aware of the free resource pack of guidance, checklists and templates that has been commissioned by the ISC and its associations: vwv. co.uk/images/documents/ ISC_Merger_Advice_ Note_2020_digital.pdf

Act early

A strategy to join a schools group can be taken from a position of relative strength, but sometimes individual schools may be forced into it because they find themselves in financial difficulty.

school at any time other than the end of the summer term.

A badly handled closure in circumstances where the school owner may become insolvent can also put the governors at risk of personal liabilities if their actions or inaction cause creditors to suffer avoidable losses.

Professional advice and a realistic understanding of the timetable is essential to manage these risks and again the ISC resource pack includes advice on the issues that need to be considered.

...there are difficult times ahead...

A key lesson is that the best options for finding financial security are available to schools that act early. Even a school that is loss-making may find a place in a group if it acts before it reaches a point where there is no reasonable prospect of a turnaround plan being successful.

One of the resources in the ISC’s guidance pack is a checklist to help you identify whether major strategic change or a merger with another school is likely to be required.

The checklist identifies warning signs in a number of areas, including pupil numbers, staffing, fee levels and discounts, facilities, funding, demographics, competition, PR, and governance.

Managing financial difficulties

Schools should always look for a rescue solution, but sometimes a closure may be necessary; consequently even whilst pursuing a hoped-for solution, school leaders should understand what a closure timetable would look like.

It is always sad when a school has to close, but a closure that is well planned can be handled sensitively, whereas one that is not can be a disaster for everyone – especially if it is necessary to close a

Be realistic and act

Without doubt, there are difficult times ahead. The number of pupils being educated in the independent sector looks set to decline, leading to increased competition between schools. This seems likely to accelerate existing trends and change the shape of the market in which there will be winners and losers.

Schools will be best placed to navigate the headwinds if they are supported by strong governance and management teams who are commercial and open minded about what the best strategies may be to put their school in the best position to ensure its resilience and help it to thrive.

If there are any warning signs then school leaders need to take them seriously, be realistic and act now in the best interests of the whole school community. ●

1 https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/ find-statistics/national-pupil-projections/2023

BARNEY NORTHOVER is a partner at law firm VWV. He advises independent schools on their governance and strategies, including charity mergers, commercial acquisitions, joint ventures and collaborations.

NAVIGATING FOOD ALLERGIES IN SCHOOLS

Rupert Weber, Head of Education at apetito looks at how schools can ensure pupil safety by effectively catering for children with food allergies.

“Figures suggest that at least 6-8% of children in the UK have a food allergy [1]. The ability for schools to cater for diverse dietary requirements is a key aspect of providing nutritious meals and in some cases, imperative to keeping pupils safe.

“This year’s Allergy Awareness Week is running from 22nd to 28th April. The worrying indicators are that the number of children living with food allergies in the UK is rising by 5% every year [2].

“Increases in the prevalence of food allergies (across the 14 regulated allergens) are reflected by a documented increase in hospital admission rates of children with very severe reactions (anaphylaxis) in the UK. All the indicators are that the number of people with food allergies is going to continue to grow. The tragic death of five-year old Benedict Blythe, who was allergic to dairy, eggs, peanuts, sesame and chickpeas at school has showcased how vital it is that children with food allergies are protected in the school environment.

“It is vital that schools recognise the significant challenges and risks posed to children with food allergies and ensure their catering service protect these children. At apetito, our approach to meal preparation is meticulous, from the careful sourcing of ingredients to the final stages of meal production. Our approved laboratories and strict procedures make apetito food one of the safest catering options and ensure that children with food allergies can enjoy meals at lunchtimes without having to compromise on flavour, variety and most importantly, safety.

“We offer an extensive range of high-

quality pre-prepared meals, that cater to all dietary requirements and can be cooked easily from frozen by schools’ own catering teams, reducing the risk of cross-contamination whilst also saving schools’ time and money. Against the backdrop of skilled labour shortages, this is proving highly desirable, helping schools overcome fruitless recruitment efforts for chefs capable of handling the dietary complexities that pupils demand.

“No one wants the same meals every few days and pupils with food allergies are no exception to this. However, chefs in the kitchen often don’t have the time to create a variety of dishes that are allergen free. By turning to a premium pre-prepared service like apetito, schools are able to ensure pupils with dietary requirements have a real range of meals that not only taste great but are also safe and full of nutrients.

“We even have a range of meals that are ‘free from’ the 14 regulated allergens. Each batch of our free-from meals are thoroughly tested in our on-site laboratories, so schools can serve a wide range of delicious and safe meals they can completely trust and children with allergies can enjoy similar meals to their peers.

a strict allergen control and simple ordering system, which has been specially designed to give schools, and parents, total confidence in pupils’ safety at mealtimes.

“Effectively catering for students with food allergies is of paramount importance, as students’ safety cannot be compromised. Opting for apetito’s premium pre-prepared service not only enables schools to serve pupils a variety of safe, nutritious, and tasty dishes that are suitable for all dietary requirements but takes away stress and concern from staff when it comes to catering for allergies.”

To learn more about apetito’s school meals service please visit apetito.link/ ISMP or contact Education@apetito.co.uk, 01223 634845. ●

“For additional peace of mind, we do not allow nuts or any of their derivatives into any of our kitchens, and operate

[1] Natasha Allergy Research Foundation. Allergies – The Facts. Available at: https://www.narf.org.uk/the-allergy-explosion

[2] Allergy Clinic London. Why are allergies on the rise in the UK. Available from: https://www.allergycliniclondon.co.uk/ why-are-allergies-on-the-rise-in-the-uk/

MAKING THE CASE FOR OURSELVES

BUILDING MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS

In these arguably embattled times, Carol ChandlerThompson urges independent schools to build meaningful relationships with local stakeholders who can help make the case for our community to politicians and other influencers.

An item in many leadership team in-trays currently is, undoubtedly, how to engage their local stakeholders positively in the work of the school.

At a time when the ‘independent sector’ is commonly talked about in a monochromatic way, or in sweeping generalisations, how do we cut through the rhetoric to build meaningful relationships and show what we are really about?

Schools which have done this most successfully have prioritised actions over words, demonstrating their commitment to outreach in very tangible ways, including opening up facilities to community groups, sponsoring academies and organising festivals and community events that bring families and stakeholders together. This can be much more challenging for smaller independent schools on a tight budgets, which are less able to act with largesse. It is still possible though, and thinking about some key underlying principles might help your team in drawing up a plan of next steps.

Ensuring outreach links are genuine, meaningful and sustainable

Meaningful relationships need to last beyond the enthusiasm of a single individual’s connections or interests. Auditing where your school might have capacity or expertise not available elsewhere to the wider community and therefore be able to play a helpful role is an excellent place to start.

At St George’s in Edinburgh, we have been able to open up our provision to other local schools in areas such as preparation and administration of competitive university applications and inviting student speakers from outside the school to audition for our annual TEDx Youth event. Inviting local councillors or MPs to award prizes at events like TEDx Youth has been a very valuable way to demonstrate what is happening on the ground and engage in dialogue away from the political polemics.

The four GSA Scottish schools have recently joined forces and launched a webinar series called ‘Fearless Women’, featuring inspirational women in their fields. Opening digital events in this way to the local community and local schools is an excellent way of showcasing the values of the school whilst also sharing the resources and school offering in a cost-free way.

Being clear on your values

Outreach and the subsequent relationships that develop are far more likely to be

successful and influential if they are based on shared values.

As a girls’ school Head in both Edinburgh and London, it has been helpful to be able to bring expertise in girls’ education specifically to a broader audience and to have an impact on even more girls in the community.

St George’s has focussed significantly on building partnerships that broaden and prioritise the opportunities for women and girls in sport by developing partnerships with organisations like Badminton Scotland, Edinburgh Judo and Lacrosse Scotland. Applying these principles of shared values to the prioritisation of external lettings at the school has also meant that we are bringing more and more people into the school buildings who share our principles and what we stand for and who will advocate for what we do throughout Edinburgh.

A recent conference hosted at the school focussed on inspiring girls about the opportunities offered by careers in the tech and digital world, where we know women are seriously under-represented. We found companies were exceptionally generous in sending representatives and sharing resources, once again because of our shared desire to ensure girls are not deterred by unhelpful stereotypes from pursuing an exciting and important career path. That one event has fostered lots of future collaborations and relationships with commerce. It looks set to be a regular feature of the school calendar.

Think relationships not lobbying

Given the political context and a degree of media scepticism, it is a very difficult time for independent school Heads or Governors to speak out about the valuable work done by their school without being seen as defensive or desperate. So, it’s far more effective to demonstrate this reality rather than merely describe it by welcoming stakeholders to experience and see for themselves what the school does and how well it does it. In this way, subsequent advocacy on our behalf is far more authentic.

It takes time for the outcomes of outreach work to bear fruit, but these connections once

Outreach in South Korea

Reflecting on the importance of effective outreach, I have been thinking about the challenge I faced as part of a founding leadership team of a new British International School in South Korea over ten years ago. We were literally implanting ourselves incongruously in a completely different culture and community and wanted to find ways to genuinely connect locally and build up stakeholder relationships from scratch.

One way in which this was achieved was to create a Saturday co-curricular programme that took our students into the local community and benefitted local businesses and enterprises. Everything from volunteering at the local pig farm to litter-picking on local beaches was incorporated and the support and expertise of local tourism guides was essential in building the programme. There were certainly some less successful ideas that got quickly shelved, but a willingness to physically get out and about locally and be fearless in approaching people was essential to the initiative’s success.

This led to long-lasting relationships locally and was very powerful in demystifying the new school within the local community.

...a willingness to physically get out and about locally...

established always become important further down the line and are much more long-lasting than a letter sent to an MP or to an editor working in the national press. In my experience, local community groups when they know and understand you, will do your lobbying for you. MPs, MSPs and councillors are likely to hear directly from these stakeholders about the vital support and services you offer and any recommendation in your favour will be all the more important coming from them as a result.

Don’t retreat!

At this time, it is more important than ever that we stay connected to our local communities and don’t retreat into an embattled position. Even with minimal budget, a strong belief in outreach, a robust set of values and a fierce sense of commitment can achieve much in terms of relationship-building. If we can demonstrate the genuine value and expertise we offer to the families and young people outside our campus, we make the strongest case for ourselves. ●

CAROL CHANDLER-THOMPSON is Head of St George’s School, Edinburgh.

BUILDI NG RESILIEN CE OPTIMISING ADDITIONAL REVENUE STREAMS

Rachael Petrie concludes RSAcademics’ insightful review of the measures independent schools should be taking in order to future-proof their businesses by considering how non-core income can be identified, quantified and realised.

COMMERCIAL INCOME

Renting school facilities to third parties, the delivery of summer camps and the provision of extra-curricular courses for the local community can all generate additional income streams for independent schools. Success in this area will depend on the range and quality of facilities and services available, the location and good promotion.

There will clearly be costs relating to staffing, maintenance, promotion and

...approximately 2% of engaged alums will offer fundraising support...

administration and, for some schools, a dedicated ‘enterprise’ resource might be required to market, manage and deliver the various commercial offerings. Those schools with successful commercial income have developed a clear strategy which drives the promotion of facilities and services to a well-defined set of audiences and is underpinned with an accurate picture of the costs associated with marketing and delivering each ‘product’.

Complementary offer

Often, where schools succeed in driving healthy and sustainable revenue in this way, their starting point takes into account likely demand for the facility, service or experience they may wish to provide, as well as how it might complement the school’s brand positioning more broadly, For example, a school that has a thriving music department, and for which it is well known, might find it easiest to create one or more music events which generate sufficient interest and income and which can be expanded upon, year on year.

Cost control is crucial, particularly when generating income through events, to ensure that as income grows, the relative unit cost per attendee or audience member does not increase or, ideally, reduces through economies of scale.

Partnerships

Alternatively, some schools choose to minimise the direct administrative costs and other resources needed to generate commercial income by forming partnerships where the partner delivers the commercial product/service, and the school charges a fee for the use of its

Questions to consider:

• Which of the school’s strengths might provide a potential springboard from which to create one or more commercial income strands?

• Do you have the necessary skills within one or more of your teams to implement a focused commercial income strategy?

• If you are considering adding a commercial income team, or individual, to your structure, into which management function should this report?

• What are the ‘quick win’ commercial opportunities available to your school, and what is the likely cost involved in achieving them?

facilities. This can present a lower-risk, loweroverhead route to generating commercial income but with potentially reduced returns. Schools adopting this approach also need to ensure no relinquishment of control over the school’s brand and be mindful of protecting its reputation. Likewise, a similarly careful approach to the brand should be taken when considering sponsorship income. This can be a welcome additional income stream which schools’ commercial teams seek to align to existing events or similar activities. However, managing the relationship is essential to ensure that the sponsor’s expectations are realistic and delivered upon and that the sponsor’s reputation complements the school’s ethos. This is sometimes more easily managed when the sponsor is a local company.

FUNDRAISING

We firmly believe that all schools can fundraise and, if not doing so already, may wish to consider how they might generate additional income in this way. Whether you have a development team or not, we believe you will need the following:

1. A compelling, inspiring, and watertight case for support; in other words, the reason why potential donors should make your school a priority. It does not need to be complete – the best cases for support evolve over time and often benefit from donor input and insights –but it must be authentic, strategic and clearly articulate the impact donations could have.

2. In response to the sensitivities deriving from the cost-of-living crisis, a focus (or increased focus) on major gifts

Questions to consider:

• Could fundraising help you deliver on your strategic vision by generating philanthropic income for bursaries and/or capital projects?

• Do you believe that there are individuals in your community (perhaps parents or alumni) who have the means to make a substantial gift and also the warmth towards the school to do so?

If you can answer yes to both questions, fundraising might be for you. With support, as needed, on how to approach potential donors and ultimately ask for a gift, you could be able to find a new source of long-term financial support and advocacy.

fundraising involving quiet, wellresearched, considered individual approaches to a small group of carefully curated people or organisations that are in a position to make substantial donations. All schools can do this, regardless of whether or not they have a dedicated development team. Major gifts can be secured with a disciplined, focused approach (and possibly a small amount of professional support).

3. Wider Research to provide deep knowledge of your potential supporters and how to engage them. Who are your potential donors? What are their interests and motivations? What do they think of your school, and how connected are they? Might they be interested in supporting you?

Research also helps to identify warm fundraising leads. Our experience suggests that approximately 2% of engaged alums will offer fundraising support when surveyed professionally. This may seem small, but when applied to a typical school database of 4,000 individuals, that equates to 80 individuals who could support you.

A specialist area

Fundraising can be a critical part of many schools’ operational structure. It is a specialist area, but it is not always well understood, and unlike many other functions, it can be viewed as optional.

But, with a little investment in mentoring and a disciplined approach, a school that is new to development could opt to explore its fundraising potential without the need to first invest in a new team. Time spent on major gifts fundraising can generate a significant financial ROI, test assumptions, build relationships and provide the knowledge and experience on which to ultimately create a focused development function.

Like any new venture, you need to invest and explore while keeping the risks to a minimum. But when we are considering a function that can add significant sums to your balance sheet –why wouldn’t you invest in it? ●

RACHAEL PETRIE is Head of Philanthropy at RSAcademics: rachaelpetrie@rsacademics.com

PROVIDING PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS FOR THE EDUCATION SECTOR

Modular construction stands out as an efficient method for creating contemporary and durable educational facilities. Choosing modular buildings over traditional construction brings numerous benefits, leading to a surge in modular schools nationwide. Whether it’s a single or multi-storey structure required, modular solutions offer adaptable designs, ensuring the creation of an ideal learning environment.

Wernick Buildings serves as a reliable partner for all your educational construction needs. From design and construction to swift installation, we deliver a comprehensive turnkey solution, providing fully fitted buildings in significantly less time than traditional builds. Your project will be overseen by an experienced construction team, offering a smooth transition with inclusive training and thorough aftercare. Additionally, our school buildings boast a remarkable 50year design life.

Preparing for the next academic year

Our modules are built in our South Wales factory and either stored or delivered directly to clients, streamlining the construction process by up to 50% compared to traditional methods. We offer modern teaching equipment and features, maximising your space’s potential. As part of our turnkey service, we extend support to groundwork and landscaping, encompassing car parks, multi-use game areas, and playgrounds.

Embarking on a new educational development journey is always timely. Our building systems cater to a spectrum of educational levels, from nurseries to universities, emphasising aesthetic flexibility and enhanced building performance. Partnering with Wernick ensures your education facility is operational well before the next academic year which showcases our commitment to efficient and reliable solutions.

stage focuses on developing the building’s design and specifications, encompassing surveys, services, and planning applications. Following this, the tender submission and evaluation phase includes project planning, tender submissions, client evaluations, and transparent communication of feedback. Once the design is frozen, detailed planning ensues, and the project is strategically scheduled into the factory manufacturing program. Detailed design covers everything from groundwork to structural, electrical, and mechanical elements, ensuring a comprehensive approach.

Moving forward, the building warrant application is submitted, followed by clarification evaluations and considerations for factory work commencement.

The subsequent stages involve manufacturing building modules in the factory, fitting doors, windows, plumbing, and various systems.

Concurrently, service applications for water, electricity, and other necessities are addressed.

Pre-mobilisation conditions, including approvals and permissions, are met before the mobilisation stage, which involves site preparation and community engagement.

How to procure a modular building

Embarking on the journey to procure a modular school building with Wernick Buildings involves a well-structured process designed for efficiency. The initial

Groundworks follow suit, preparing foundations, services, drainage, and access. The installation phase sees the introduction of building modules and on-site fit-out, ensuring seamless integration. Services such as power, water, and data connections are established, leading to the commissioning, snagging, and finishing stage, where thorough testing of various aspects is conducted. The final steps involve handover, including client training for building operations, key exchange, and the sharing of certificates, manuals, and reports. ●

SUSTAINABLE STAFF RECRUITMENT THE FINAL FRONTIER

Steve Spriggs argues that the future of teacher recruitment in fee paying and state schools in the UK and overseas hinges on our ability to evolve and adapt our approach to this critical activity.

Schools are now well-used to UK teacher and leader recruitment and retention being in a permanent state of crisis. The worrying shortage of good teachers in certain subjects makes this one of the most pressing topics of our time. And while the independent sector may have an advantage in being able to offer staff better working conditions and financial incentives, it is still forced to fish in an increasingly small pool.

Missed targets

Just look at the teacher training statistics: the Government missed its secondary school targets by 50 per cent this year. But this masks some even more hair-raising figures in certain subjects: in Physics, only 17 per cent of the target number of trainees were recruited. Geoff Barton, general secretary of the ASCL school leaders’ union, summed up the situation in the autumn, saying, “The catastrophic shortfall in postgraduate trainee teacher recruitment has plumbed new depths”.

So what is driving the current shortages? The allure of a booming international schools market which values well-trained English speakers is one. How many bright young teachers can resist the sunny climes and tax arrangements of a school in an exotic location –and with twice as much PPA time thrown in?

Wage inflation is also an issue, as is fierce competition with the state sector and a dropping off in undergraduates studying certain key subjects in which teachers are required. You only have to look at the numbers studying English Literature at university; for example: between 2011 and 2021 the number of students studying the subject fell by a third.

A complex situation

It’s a complex situation and one that will demand innovative solutions.

As it stands, the approach to teacher recruitment often resembles a panicked scramble and schools often have little sense of strategy. Unsure how to play it, schools stick with what they know, relying on one or two expensive incumbents to help them reach out to the market.

The traditional method of waiting for vacancies and then resorting to financial incentives is no longer sufficient and unsustainable long-term. Schools need

to embrace an ‘always on’ approach. The glossy websites promoting the school usually have parents in mind but not teachers considering huge life changes and relocations.

SO, WHAT DOES STAFF RECRUITMENT LOOK LIKE IN 2025 AND BEYOND?

The time has come for a paradigm shift in how our schools approach staff recruitment.

Embracing data-driven talent pools: Schools must harness the power of data to create targeted talent pools. When we can see candidate preferences, skills, and experiences, institutions can streamline recruitment processes and identify the best-fit candidates more effectively. This is not an overnight fix though, and needs planning and investment.

It really takes patience to achieve this and the key is to nurture the applicants you do have. Of course, only one person can get the job on the day, but it is worth nurturing those promising applicants who didn’t. Building up a database of quality applicants will pay off in the future when you’re looking to fill other roles. They can be kept in the loop about new vacancies and may reward you by stepping forward to apply again in the future.

Year-round branding campaigns: Waiting for vacancies to arise before initiating recruitment efforts is no longer viable. Instead, schools should invest in ‘always on’ digital-first branding campaigns that highlight their unique ethos, values, and opportunities. By maintaining a consistent presence in the job market, institutions can attract top talent proactively.

This should involve investing in consistent, branded careers pages and separate strategies and portals for potential candidates.

The investment required is relatively small compared to the huge cost saving, time efficiencies and positive branding they will achieve long term. A standalone careers site gives you freedom and space to really sell the school away from parent eyes on the main website. Showcase your CPD, inspection reports, staffroom culture, leadership programmes, relocation packages and more. Don’t be shy: this really should be the equivalent of a top-level parent website with its videos, prospectuses, smiling children and the forward-facing brand you project when recruiting students; staff are equally important.

Too often, vacancies pages are hidden in the footer of a website and have links to external non-branded job boards with hundreds of other text-heavy generic adverts. Good luck getting the right talent with that strategy in 2025!

Personalised recruitment strategies: One-sizefits-all approaches to recruitment won’t yield the best

results. Schools must promote their individual identity and therefore attract teachers who will be excited by it. Generic appeal is unlikely to resonate.

“Who are you right for?” is a question often asked when devising student admissions strategies; and the same is true for staff. Who is the right personality for your school? The staff culture, the parent cohort and the type of ethos your school follows all matter when recruiting staff. To some extent it is taken as a given that a Maths teacher will have the required maths and teaching ability – hence most job specs look very similar but tell you very little about the nuances of the school and the position.

A standalone careers site gives you freedom

Efficient routes to market: Go to your candidates, don’t wait for them to come to you. This means using a wider range of channels, from online platforms to networking events, to engage with potential new recruits. Using new technology can also streamline the administrative side.

Social media and events are key to target the best talent for you. Again, results aren’t immediate and this strategy will bear fruit when you least expect it. If you can create a positive impression on social media even when an applicant isn’t looking to change roles, a good impression can last for years. All those posts featuring the school under the first snowfall of winter, or those uplifting pictures of children helping at a local charity could really pay off long-term when a potential candidate is looking for their next move.

Future-proofing school recruitment

Schools that continue using outdated practices risk failing to find the staff they want and compromising educational standards. To ensure long-term success, institutions must embrace innovation, agility and a forward-thinking mindset.

The future of teacher recruitment in UK independent schools hinges on our ability to evolve and adapt. We are up against some big challenges, but there are big opportunities too. By rethinking our recruitment practices to make them more personalised, more efficient and more sustainable, we can build the workforce our unique schools require. ●

STEVE SPRIGGS is Managing Director of School Management Plus and Kampus24.

STRETCH TENTS FOR SCHOOLS, COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES

Hire, Sales, installation, and maintenance — Our stretch tents have every educational event or need covered in style.

STAFF RED UNDANCIES KEY CONSID ERATIONS

Louise Brenlund explores the issues which senior leaders in schools considering staff redundancies should be aware of before kicking off a formal process.

With the continuing squeeze on independent school finances and the possibility of both school fees being subject to VAT and discounts on business rates being removed, you may find yourself being forced to consider reducing your workforce and staffing costs. This can result in difficult decisions around redundancies and can be a stressful time for the school, staff, pupils and parents. So, leaders of independent schools must be fully aware of the key considerations before embarking on a redundancy process.

It is crucial that your school is clear on its current financial position and why the impact of any financial challenges may have necessitated a review of staffing. School leaders need to have a clear business case to communicate as to why there is a need for redundancies and to ensure that it is a genuine redundancy situation they are confronting.

What might lead to a redundancy?

Most commonly in independent schools, the need for redundancies may come about due to the following:

• a department is overstaffed;

• classes and/or duties are reorganised or restructured so that fewer staff members are required;

• a subject or course is discontinued;

• the school merges with another school;

• the school closes.

Have a plan

Process

Advance planning is key. Before embarking on any redundancy process, it is important to have a clear, collectively owned plan that follows employment law requirements and your own policies and procedures with appropriate timescales set out. We always recommend taking legal advice as early as possible so you are well informed and legal requirements are built into the plan.

To minimise successful claims of unfair dismissal (for employees with two or more years of continuous service), not only is it important to ensure there is a genuine redundancy situation, but that a fair procedure must be carried out.

The appropriate process will depend on the numbers involved but, as a minimum, this will include individual consultation. Where 20 or more individuals are involved, you will need to undertake F

Redundancy Processes: questions to ask

• Are the roles at risk standalone or do they need to be pooled together?

• How is the consultation to be undertaken? Employers need to remember that where 20 or more employees are to be made redundant in a 90-day or less period, strict rules apply. A failure to inform and consult in collective redundancy situations can carry a penalty of up to 90 days’ gross pay per employee. Even where fewer redundancies are contemplated, collective or other contractual agreements might still require an employer to consult in a particular way.

• How will the individuals being considered for redundancy be selected and what objective factors should be taken into account (see below)?

• Do managers need training or written guidance on how to conduct consultation/ redundancy processes?

• Do you need to notify BEIS on Form HR1? Failure to do so is a criminal offence and could result in your school being fined an unlimited amount.

...a stressful time for the school, staff, pupils and parents...

both collective (see below) and individual consultation. Collective consultation will include consultation with trade unions (where recognised for this purpose) or with elected employees appointed via specific statutory rules that apply.

Selection criteria

Where possible, objective redundancy selection criteria should be used which are capable of independent verification and supported by records such as HR documents; they must not discriminate against employees. Criteria should be measurable rather than based on personal opinion. It is reasonable for an employer to attach weightings to particular criteria reflecting their importance to the role so long as the weightings can be justified and are not discriminatory.

in local authority or academy employment as continuous service unless their contract of employment provides otherwise.

Other things to remember

A redundancy process can affect staff morale and retention. Consider what support might be put in place for staff both at risk and not; for example, these could include access to senior leaders and HR and employee support programmes, plus access to counselling or medical support or outplacement services. Also, remember that employees on notice of redundancy are entitled to take reasonable time off to look for new jobs or to arrange training, some of which should be paid.

Is there anything specific to independent schools?

If an employee is made redundant while employed in an independent school, they will not be able to count previous service

This is different for employees of certain public sector bodies, which include those employed in academy and maintained schools, as there is a statutory Order called the Redundancy Payment (Local Government) (Modification) Order 1999 (as amended), which covers redundancy payments. It has specific rules covering continuity of service and redundancy payments, known as the ’four-week rule’ which, in set circumstances, preserves continuity of service but means no redundancy payment is due. All school employers should be aware of these rules.

Are there any changes that we need to be aware of?

Currently, rules apply that provide that in a redundancy situation employees on maternity, adoption or shared parental leave have priority whilst on leave in respect of being offered a suitable alternative role where one exits.

New legislation, the Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave)

Act 2023, extends redundancy protection as follows:

• For any pregnancies notified on or after 6 April 2024, or for any maternity leave ending on or after 6 April 2024, the protected period will be for 18 months from the first day of the expected week of birth or from the actual date of birth where notified to you.

• For adoptions, for leave starting on or after 6 April 2024, the protected period will be for 18 months from the date the child is placed with the employee for adoption.

• For shared parental leave starting on or after 6 April 2024, where taking 6 or more consecutive weeks but not taken as maternity or adoption leave, protection ends 18 months after the date of birth of the child/date the child was placed for adoption. If taking less than six consecutive weeks, protection applies during any period of shared parental leave only, as is currently the case.

Any redundancies taking place on or after 6 April will need to take these new rules into account. ●

LOUISE BRENLUND is a Partner and Head of Employment at Warners Solicitors. If you are looking to make redundancies and would like more information, contact Lousie on 01732 375325. Her email is l.brenlund@warners.law.

BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS IN YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY

Philip Britton believes that building partnerships within the local community should be a key priority for every independent school, delivering benefits to all participants.

For most independent schools, working with their local community through partnership activity is integral to their purpose. More often than not, the school is the oldest part of the local educational landscape with deep roots in local structures and a desire for the local area to thrive. Engagement is emphatically not just an attempt to justify charitable status; it is undertaken because it is the right thing to do.

Why partnership activity?

For school managers, one obvious ‘why’ is that mostly, with the odd historical exception, none of us can

Our schools are part of the local eco-system...

move our schools geographically. Whilst we all strive for strong bursary programmes, we still need our local areas to thrive economically so that there is a core market of fee payers. Our schools are part of the local eco-system that is attractive to aspiring families moving to an area or a business choosing to locate. This means one aspect of partnership operates at that high level, amongst the local authority and development agencies looking to promote a local area. Do estate agents list your school as part of their message about why an area is attractive? If not, why not?

Economic impact

In order to leverage this type of partnership with local politicians and businesses, it is important to know your impact as a business in your local area. The Independent Schools Council (ISC) has worked with Oxford Economics to create an impact calculator that helps you do that; it is available on their website to members. In the last financial year, Bolton School contributed £23.4 million towards the town’s gross domestic product (GDP). Bolton is one of the

country’s largest towns and the contribution represents 0.43 per cent of its entire GDP. We paid £15.9 million in tax into the Exchequer’s coffers, which included Income Tax, NICs, plus indirect and induced tax contributions. Payments to other businesses for goods and services relating to our core operations amounted to almost £11 million. The total number of jobs supported by our activities is 747.

These partnerships may be far more familiar to school managers than many of the purely educational partnerships that are also so important. They help frame our schools as having a positive impact on the local area, through supporting jobs, commerce, supply chains and attracting talented and ambitious families who will drive progress. Too often we are seen as separate and even aloof. These very practical forms of partnership establish real connections that can be understood by all outside the world of education. It creates allies far beyond the narrow focus of privilege that can all too often characterise debate about our schools.

Making a difference

CREATIVES NOW: a local partnership

Aligned with Bolton’s Cultural Strategy, Creatives Now provides teenagers with a genuine opportunity to shape and lead culture in their town. Having engaged with over 300 participants and executed 12 projects last year, it is an evolving force, dynamically influencing and contributing to the town’s cultural landscape.

Dissolving barriers to youth participation in arts and culture

have commissioned a 12-month programme of Youth Trustees training, which is positioned to develop the town’s ‘golden thread’, through participation, development and leadership design, including a focus on careers.

Collaborating with cultural organisations, the project fills gaps in youth provision, including a youth strand at Bolton International Film Festival. Future programmes involve free teacher CPD to enhance schools’ cultural education.

All that said, by far the most important reason to encourage partnership is to make a difference to the young people in our local areas. There is a real Keynesian social capital multiplier effect around our schools and that must be harnessed for the good of society. Obviously, those who attend our schools are given a great education and develop character that focuses them on making a difference to the world they will live in and help shape. Even more evidently, there is an opportunity to foster social mobility with our bursary programmes. But, however large a bursary programme our schools have, it cannot touch all local children by direct attendance as pupils. This is where partnership can be powerful. Our schools represent an enormous pool of talented teachers and pupils who can collaborate and partner with other schools in the local area.

Starting in the right place

In forming such partnerships, it is important to start in the right place: which is to be focused on two-way partnership, not doing good to people but doing good with them; to be meeting a real need rather than offering what you want to offer.

Creatives Now, a designated Cultural Asset in Bolton’s Cultural Strategy, receives funding from Bolton Council to address the ‘Young People and Emerging Talent’ priority. As a pivotal project of Bolton Cultural Education Partnership, it’s evolving into Bolton’s youth voice platform for cultural development.

Ongoing free cultural activities stem from an initial Arts Council England funded pilot supported by Manchester International Festival, informed by a post-COVID Public Healthfunded report into cultural participation barriers for children and young people and a Bolton Schools’ 2023 report identifying barriers like affordability.

To maximise fundraising opportunities, Creatives Now established itself as a CIC, with Youth Trustees recruited from current participants and Creatives Now alumni. They

Recruiting through the Bolton Learning Partnership, the Youth Participation Forum and other community networks, it has engaged diverse young participants, spanning secondary schools, colleges, home-schooled and care leavers. The inclusive group represents various backgrounds, learning needs and LGBTQIA+ identities, fostering a dynamic cultural community.

Making a difference to young people’s health and wellbeing

Creatives Now champions health through impactful campaigns and creative activities, emphasising mental well-being and fostering open conversations.

Their evaluation methods gauge impact, revealing a sense of belonging and the group as a safe space for creativity. Members, empowered by inclusive principles, drive change through youth-led projects, like open arts exhibitions for schools, reflecting youth experiences.

You also need to be sure you do actually have the expertise, or the facilities or the time or the resource to offer – and to focus on intended outcomes and how they will be evaluated. If your school currently has a range of partnerships, this is as good a time as any to make sure they meet these tests for the future. There is much helpful support and advice out there – for example the Schools Partnership Alliance provides case studies, collaboration and advice: schoolpartnershipsalliance.org.uk

Here at Bolton, we are a member of the Bolton Learning Partnership (BLP) with 17 state secondary schools. We integrate with the local primary schools using their cluster structure, so we work through systems that already exist rather than imagine we must invent them. The BLP has the strapline of ‘Bolton’s 19k’, recognising that across the landscape of education locally, 19,000 secondary school pupils are being educated and we have a collective responsibility to raise the aspirations of all. That is certainly by facilitating events, but also deeper and more purposeful collaboration between professionals in teaching and learning.

Diverse projects igniting creativity

Our Director of Creative Learning, Naomi Lord, has set up and runs Creatives Now, an arts enterprise supported by the Local Cultural Education Partnership and local authority. It is an arts collective for 12-18-year-olds, open to young people from across the town and is driven by a core group of up to 20 youngsters attending weekly activities. Established in 2021, the collective focuses on codesign, welcoming those interested in collaboratively shaping Bolton’s cultural scene. With a town centre studio, they deliver diverse projects igniting creativity – from local and regional exhibition trips to hands-on sessions with international artists to conversations with cultural leaders. Online offerings further enhance their reach.

TOP TIPS

• Think of partnership as taking your place in your local community.

• Solve problems that people have, not ones you imagine.

• Look for two-way collaboration.

• Know your expected outcomes and how to measure impact.

• Have a coherent and strategic plan.

National contribution

More nationally, we can engage with the big-ticket items impacting education. Many schools are engaged in teacher recruitment through participation in schoolcentred initial teacher training. This is us doing our bit for an immediate national need. Our colleagues are governors in local schools, they examine for the boards, they support teacher subject organisations – all of these are independent schools partnering to address national issues.

Partnerships are not just about sharing facilities, but never let anyone disparage the impact for those that do. For local schools without a pool or playing field, sharing those is far more than a gesture – it transforms opportunity.

Partnership plan

For managers, it is important not to see partnership as a ‘nice to have extra’ where you can follow enthusiasms and interests of pupils and colleagues. That personal engagement and commitment can be vital, but everything a school does has a cost: in cash, in opportunity, in time. For that reason, your partnership needs a development plan like every other part of the organisation: it needs a set of longterm objectives, a medium-term plan and practical detail for the coming year. This will allow you to add new activity and, equally importantly, remove projects where the impetus and need has moved on.

Part of the solution

In the current political climate, our schools must be seen to be part of the solution for society, not as part of the problem. In the local landscape of education, we must be seen to have a purposeful role rather than be separate from it. Very often our schools will be about aspiration. We can also often bring academic expertise, especially in some subjects where teacher recruitment in the state sector is challenging. ●

...not doing good to people but doing good with them...

PHILIP BRITTON is the Head of Foundation at Bolton School.

THE ‘GIVING DAY’ PHENOMENON

A FUNDRAISING SUCCESS STORY

Lisa Connor talks to Louise Bennett about the successful Giving Days she has run at Merchant Taylors’ School and offers some top tips to fellow schools wishing to maximise their fundraising income.

‘Giving Days’ are becoming an increasingly popular way for schools to engage with their community and fundraise for bursaries, partnerships or capital projects. However, it is important to approach a Giving Day with a clear strategy and purpose. Simply jumping on the bandwagon because other schools are doing it is not a good enough reason. A successful Giving Day requires careful planning, research, and execution.

Top tips for a successful Giving Day

1. Define your purpose and success criteria Before embarking on a Giving Day, it is important to clearly define why you are doing it and what success looks like for your school. Is your goal to engage new and different donors, or to raise a specific amount of money for a particular project? Be realistic about what you can achieve and set success criteria that are meaningful for your school.

Merchant Taylors’ School has used Giving Days to accelerate its regular giving programme and has focused in on what it believes to be the key elements of a successful Giving Day.

Merchant Taylors’ School is based in Crosby, north of Liverpool, and comprises a prep school, Boys’ Senior School and Girls’ Senior School, educating pupils aged 4-18. It has recently announced the move to co-education at senior level from

2. Research and know your audience

A successful Giving Day requires a deep understanding of your audience. Who are your alumni, parents, and other potential donors? What are their interests and motivations? What type of communication and engagement will resonate with them? Use data analysis and segmentation to target your communications effectively.

3. Plan your content and hook Your Giving Day needs a hook that will engage your audience and make

September 2025. Lisa Connor joined the school as Head of Development and Alumni Relations in 2017, with a key focus on growing Merchant Taylors’ regular giving programme.

Giving Day 2021

In June 2021, Merchant Taylors’ held its first Giving Day, ‘Merchants’ Gives’. The key focus of the Giving Day was to address the gaps in the schools’ database, in particular

them want to participate. This could be a theme, a specific cause, or a unique aspect of your school’s history or traditions. Spend time planning content that will resonate with your audience.

4. Secure match donations

Match donations can be a powerful way to incentivise giving on your Giving Day. Approach potential match donors well ahead of your event and secure their commitment. Be creative in how you use match donations to maximise their impact, such as by creating challenges or unlocking additional funds when certain milestones are reached.

engaging more female alumni and reengaging with alumni aged 40-60, to grow and diversify the schools’ donor base.

At the time, Lisa was a team of one with minimal budget: “You don’t need to have a big infrastructure to do Giving Days; consultants can help and will provide expertise and support, but a Giving Day is a very simple concept and for smaller schools wanting to grow their donor base, the key expenditure is a fundraising platform, which can be acquired at a minimal cost. However, if going it alone, don’t underestimate the time you will need to prepare for a Giving Day –planning who you will contact, developing content and securing match funding all takes time; I started planning our Giving Day months in advance!”

The Giving Day cost the school £6,000 and raised an incredible £137,000. More importantly, the day recruited new donors: “As the Giving Day was new to Merchant Taylors’, our targets were cautious. I had a target of 150 donors but actually recruited 358 new donors, gaining 90 new female donors. Our biggest donation was from an alumnae. We also recruited 75 new donors aged under 50. Whilst we were thrilled with the income raised, particularly given the average donation was £100,

strategically the success of the Giving Day was the number of new donors we recruited. This enabled us to engage with prospects who had not previously given, and through proactive stewardship, build relationships with these donors so we might persuade them to give again!”

Telephone campaign 2022

The Merchants’ Gives Telethon took place in August 2022, focusing on the school’s

We used a carefully curated collection of archive content to foster an emotional connection... F

5. Use your budget wisely

A Giving Day does not have to be an expensive undertaking. Set a budget and use it wisely to get the biggest bang for your buck. Consider where you can get the most impact, such as investing in highquality video content or hiring a freelancer to help with social media.

6. Plan, plan, plan (but be flexible) A successful Giving Day requires careful planning and organisation. Use tools like Microsoft Planner to schedule your social media and email content and create

a detailed timeline for the day itself. However, be prepared to be flexible on the day itself and adapt to changing circumstances. For example, you may need to adjust your fundraising goals or use your match donations in a different way depending on how the day is going.

7. Engage your community

A Giving Day is an opportunity to bring your school community together and engage them in a common cause. Involve teachers, pupils, alumni, and other stakeholders in your planning and execution. Create opportunities for them to participate and contribute, such as through in-school events or challenges.

8. Follow up and say thank you Don’t forget to thank your donors and follow up with them after your Giving Day. Send prompt thank you messages, both digitally and through handwritten cards. Consider holding a thank you event or making personal phone calls to express your gratitude. Plan how you will engage with your new donors in the future, such as by converting them to regular donors through a telephone campaign or involving them in other engagement activities. The benefit of a Giving Day is that the initial donations you receive are the first of many!

…a warm and engaged community of donors and prospects…

continued commitment to widen access through bursaries. Lisa says, “Following the success of our Giving Day in 2021, we wanted to build on the momentum gained from our strong digital presence and high engagement levels, by talking to as many of our community as possible in our first ever telethon.”

Over two weeks, 11 callers spoke to 386 alumni. “The telethon raised £80,000 (measured over four years) but more importantly it was successful in encouraging repeat gifts (with 29% of our Giving Day donors making an additional gift) and in gaining legacy pledges (with 9 new legacy pledges and 32 additional legacy enquiries). We were also able to evidence the efficacy of the school’s engagement work, for example showing a link between those who received pupil Christmas cards and new donors.”

The campaign also hugely benefitted the calling team, who were all recent leavers and gained invaluable work experience

and connections. “Not only did we raise funds to increase our bursary offer, but our callers also benefitted from the large numbers of alumni who offered careers support and advice. It was a win-win!”

Giving Day 2023

Merchant Taylors’ ran a second Giving Day in June 2023, raising £102,000 from 197 donors, capitalising on the success of the 2021 event. Once more, the development team undertook all of the planning and execution themselves, minimising the costs to just £6,000. Lisa explains: “We used a carefully curated collection of archive content to foster an emotional connection with our alumni beforehand and shared a

collection of uplifting videos featuring much-loved current and former staff during the campaign. By tying in the Giving Day with Founder’s Day, we were able to engage pupils and parents through in-school events and challenges, whilst alumni responded well to a series of targeted emails. We saturated our social media presence with eyecatching graphics and high-quality video and elevated our major donor communications with personal touches including decade-specific photos, school reports and archive magazines.”

The future of Merchants’ Gives

Lisa says that Merchants’ Gives will form part of a strategic timeline of digital campaigns and telethons to build the school’s donor base. “We’ll continue our strong digital engagement, target one-off donors to convert to regular gifts and bring our alumni and parent community together through our Merchants’ Together network. Through Merchants’ Gives, we have created a warm and engaged community of donors and prospects, which creates a great platform for future fundraising.” ●

LISA CONNOR is the Head of Development and Alumni Relations at Merchant Taylors’ School; LOUISE BENNETT is the CEO of IDPE.

GIRLS LOVE SCIENCE AND MATHS! NEW GSA RESEARCH ON GIRLS’ UPTAKE IN STEM

As the Girls’ Schools Association steps into its 150th anniversary year, Donna Stevens highlights more research confirming the unique priority girls’ schools give to young women to succeed in STEM subjects.

The Girls’ Schools Association was founded on the principle of providing an education to empower young women, irrespective of the barriers in wider society. As part of its mission, GSA equips senior teams and educational leaders with rigorous research on girls’ schools and girls’ education. Recently released research and data from DfE and others continues to affirm the benefits that girls’ schools confer on young women in STEM subjects in comparison to other educational settings, alongside GSA’s own

growing body of research. The Girls’ Schools Association annually leads the UK’s biggest study in single-sex girls’ schools. GSA’s Research Committee steers analytical data collection across the whole educational sector, to present a nationwide understanding of girls’ educational experiences through a unified partnership across the independent and state sectors. GSA members have access to these reports and full findings of other commissions in its extensive and regularly updated research library gsa.uk.com/research/ ●

KEY FINDINGS FOR GIRLS AND STEM

• Gender-bias and stereotypes have a strong impact on girls’ attitudes towards STEM and directly challenging these is shown to have a positive impact on STEM career aspirations.

• Girls’ schools cater to the needs of girls specifically, which contributes to higher STEM entries in A-Levels.

• Computer Science has seen the largest growth in uptake for girls, with the percentage of girls taking Computer Science doubling in girls’ schools.

• Girls in girls’ schools are 2.7 times as likely to take Further Maths and more than twice as likely to take Physics and Computer Science A-Levels – compared with girls in co-ed schools.

• Girls in girls’ schools score 14% higher than girls in co-ed schools in GCSE Maths specifically.

• The uptake of other sciences is higher with Biology 40% higher, Chemistry 85% higher and Maths 88% higher in girls’ schools –compared with girls in other schools.

Donna Says

“This year marks an important milestone for the Association; a time to celebrate the achievements of our heads, teachers, school communities and girls; a time to acknowledge the vital historical and future role girls’ schools play in creating a fairer world for all. More compelling data from the DfE confirms positive outcomes for girls and STEM in girls’ schools – further proving the importance of providing girls-only schools for young women today – especially in light of the falling confidence and uptake seen in these subjects by girls in other schools.

GSA’s own research goes even further to understand how girlsonly education equips girls best to achieve their ambitions, and clearly shows girls love science and maths!”

DONNA STEVENS is the Chief Executive of the GSA.

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REACHING OUT! USING THE RIGHT RECRUITMENT PLATFORM

The BSA Group has launched Jobsforschools.org.uk, a recruitment platform with a broad reach. Lee Glaser explains why choosing and using the right platform is so important to a school’s staff recruitment and retention strategy.

When a senior politician asked a janitor at NASA in the 1960s what he did, his response was, “I help put people on the moon”. When I was a Headmaster, I referenced this so often I was regularly teased for it. It is a quote that perfectly sums up a strong school culture in which every staff member feels that they play a part in educating young people.

Generalists or specialists?

A key part of creating and sustaining that culture is recruiting and retaining people who are aligned with the school’s ethos and vision. An advert for the first teaching job I applied for described a teacher of mathematics with ‘preference given to those able to coach tennis and athletics’. I was successful despite having no proficiency in either sport.

These days, high standards and parental expectations in every area of school life mean that many schools are looking for specialists. Other schools believe strongly that generalists provide a more holistic approach to education. It is important to reflect that a school will appoint a person with the skills and attributes which align with their strategy and culture. Therefore, when advertising for teaching roles, it is important to use a recruitment platform that has a very broad reach ensuring the advert is seen not just by existing teachers but by those in other sectors who would thrive in a school environment.

Recruitment platforms

But recruiting the right people is not just about teachers. HR directors currently recruit for many positions –

sometimes the same role – a number of times each year.

Turnover in schools is significant in some areas, with roles such as drivers, grounds, and catering staff often in demand. With some local employers, such as supermarkets, offering increased rates of pay for roles at this level, it is no surprise that schools are finding this increased competition a challenge. Hence a recruitment platform covering a wide range of specialisms is key. Some platforms specialise in the recruitment of teachers and others specialise in marketing or finance. The convenience of one platform that will enable schools to advertise every role, and sometimes the same role numerous times in a year, is surely an attractive solution.

With VAT on fees looming, the cost effectiveness of a recruitment platform is a strong consideration. Schools are focusing on areas of expenditure that can be reduced without compromising standards. A recruitment platform providing the opportunity to post an unlimited number of adverts at a very competitive annual subscription will enable schools to control their staff recruitment budget tightly as the need for multiple platforms, and unexpected expenditure, is reduced.

With these considerations in mind, BSA Group and Hays Plc have launched a new partnership with the aim of supporting schools with the above challenges. Jobsforschools.org. uk is a recruitment platform with broad reach, covering more than 20 specialisms and priced significantly cheaper than other platforms on the market. ●

LEE GLASER is Executive Director, Specialist Services, BSA Group. To discuss how BSA and Hays could support your school recruitment, contact lee.glaser@bsagroup.org.uk.

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

WHO, WHY AND WHEN?

Tory Gillingham urges all independent schools to embrace their stakeholders, making friends and gaining influence rather than risking indifference.

Every independent school’s SWOT analysis, strategy and communications plan worth its salt has ‘stakeholders’ in there somewhere. Now, more than ever, ‘stakeholder engagement’ is an activity heads and their comms teams are being encouraged to undertake as our sector faces the implications of a possible VAT-on-schoolfees policy.

For ‘engagement’ read email, speak or write to, call, invite, say thank you to, consult/involve, congratulate – whatever is most appropriate!

But who are these stakeholders, and when – and why – do we go about all this engagement?

Who?

Parents, pupils, alumni/ae and staff are not your school’s only stakeholders. Failing to embrace others can tarnish your reputation or, at the very least, breed indifference to your school. Stakeholder mapping is a crucial step to identify the diverse groups of individuals and organisations that have an interest in, or impact on, your school. The tried-andtested process is to:

Identify: typical stakeholders can include pupils, parents, teachers, staff, alumni/ae, suppliers, governors, neighbours/community, local politicians, government agencies, regulatory bodies, and (potential) donors/sponsors.

Prioritise: which stakeholder groups have the greatest influence or impact (actual and potential) on your school?

Map relationships: at its simplest, this

is a grid, with stakeholders listed along one axis and their level of influence along the other.

Gather information: understand stakeholder interests, needs, concerns, and expectations regarding your school.

Assess engagement levels: how, when and why does communication between your school and each stakeholder group take place? Can this be improved?

Why?

Engaging your stakeholders is essential to build trust and allegiance. The more involved and invested someone is in your school, the more likely they are to support you and embrace you as ‘one of their own’.

This has ramifications for your school’s reputation, pupil recruitment, and your ability to hire and retain talented staff. Moreover, embracing those who might otherwise be marginalised or at the fringes of your stakeholder map – i.e. putting into practice that EDI strategy –is not only good manners, it also has the potential to deliver a reputational double whammy.

When?

Timing can be crucial. All of the following are ‘moments’ when schools can – and arguably must – reach out to stakeholders.

Significant decisions/changes: involve stakeholders as early as possible in strategic planning, VAT-on-fees discussions, curriculum changes, policies, leadership transitions, infrastructure projects, or major fundraising. Reassure them and seek their opinion, specialist knowledge, expertise, and support.

Key milestones and events: go beyond the obvious parents-pupilsalumni-staff and invite other stakeholders to become involved. Help them to feel proud to be part of your community.

Emergencies or crisis situations: it is essential to engage ALL stakeholders promptly. Transparency and timely communication are critical to maintain trust and manage expectations.

Collaboration: look for opportunities to collaborate with stakeholders in activities that align with their interests, expertise and resources.

And if all that sounds too complicated, start with the recipients of your regular newsletter. What might you gain by adding, for example, local politicians, neighbours or your catering suppliers to your circulation list? ● TORY

GILLINGHAM is CEO of AMCIS, the association for admissions, marketing and communications in independent schools. amcis.co.uk

THE IT AUTHORITY FOR INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

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AAdam Brigham and Dean Turner founded MSP LAB with an unwavering vision: To enable today’s students to become tomorrow’s leaders.

From technical engineering backgrounds and with vast experience working within schools themselves, Adam and Dean recognise the need for an IT Partner that understands the unique challenges of Independent Schools. Together, they have built a team and a framework by which Independents can deliver rapid, impactful and lasting change in the provision of their IT Services.

Schools benefit from MSP LAB’s foundational pillars of robust and secure IT infrastructure, from which they can execute a forward-thinking Digital Strategy, leading to better student outcomes.

For too long, IT providers within the education sector have focussed on products and services without properly getting to know the school they are working with.

Rejecting this old-fashioned approach, MSP LAB meet with all key stakeholders, work hard to understand what works best for each school, defines where improvements are required, and develops a strategic vision for the school’s IT – inside and outside of the classroom.

Unique in their approach, MSP LAB begins every engagement by taking the time to truly understand your school and its culture.

IT Governance and Assessments

MSP LAB provides an independent review of existing IT Systems by performing a comprehensive Technical Assessment and gathering School-wide Stakeholder Feedback.

They advise on Digital Safeguarding solutions to meet your school’s compliance requirements and enhance Student Wellbeing.

Throughout their engagements, they promote industry best practices that de-risk, stabilise and future-proof your IT.

Virtual IT Director and Bursar IT Counsel Services

MSP LAB understands that to build a resilient, safe and forward-thinking IT provision, a school requires:

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• A robust Cyber Security posture providing Governors and stakeholders with absolute clarity on the school’s ability to protect itself and recover from potential cyber incidents.

• A clearly defined IT Budget supporting an IT Roadmap, driven by a mature Digital Strategy.

• An appetite to put IT ‘on the map’ and have your school known for delivering exceptional IT facilities to students and staff. Bursars and School Leaders often ask MSP LAB for retained counsel to help ‘stay on track’ with IT and to deliver year-on-year enhancements.

In response, MSP LAB has built its Virtual IT Director and Bursar IT Counsel Services to deliver the IT oversight, insight and direction an Independent School needs.

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MSP LAB has developed a free ‘Cyber Top 10’ Framework, which allows you to quickly understand your Cyber Security posture against the ten most common attack vectors threatening Independent Schools. The results are displayed in a stakeholder-friendly ‘Red, Amber, Green’ report, providing clarity to Governors with straightforward steps to remediate vulnerable areas.

MSP LAB offers ‘Managed Firewalls’ designed for specifically for Independent Schools and 24x7 Managed Security solutions alongside Cyber Incident Response packages. ●

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PUSHING ON FUNDRAISING IN A PERIOD OF CHANGE

Louise Bennett provides advice on how development teams can continue to achieve success despite the current political and financial challenges.

The cost-of-living crisis, the UK’s recession, and the legacy of the COVID pandemic mean that many schools are already having to make difficult decisions about prioritisation within stretched budgets. Add into the mix a General Election on the horizon, in which Labour has pledged to reshape the independent schools’ sector, and there is much uncertainty for school leaders to navigate.

Over the past six months, IDPE has been running a series of PESTLE Leadership forums for development leaders, exploring the potential impact of the current political, economic and social context in which schools are operating on philanthropy; and how schools can respond positively and proactively. We want to share some of the key takeaways from these discussions to support all schools and to explore the role philanthropy can play in ensuring that schools can continue to make a difference to the lives of young people now and in the future.

With so much uncertainty comes the need to reassure.

Prepare

We need to assume that if Labour wins the next General Election, their policies to introduce VAT on fees and remove business rate relief for independent schools will happen. Labour has, however, stated that they will not remove charitable status, meaning independent schools can continue to receive tax exemptions on donations and gifts, and that development can, and should, be part of the solution! Whilst there is still much discussion as to the implementation of Labour’s policies, it is important to consider the potential impact of these on philanthropy in schools both in terms of giving habits and how they might impact bursary provision.

Share how your school is responding

With so much uncertainty comes the need to reassure. Having clear messages to share with your community about the preparations your school is taking to manage the financial risks of VAT on fees and the removal of business rate relief, will be key to donors continuing to give, in particular those who have pledged to give over a number of years.

Whilst some schools may try to support parents by absorbing some of the costs of VAT, it is highly likely schools will need to pass on some of these costs. Knowing how this will impact existing families, for example through surveying parents, could inform a fundraising ask for financial support for families who will find themselves no longer able to afford fees... and it could also identify parents who are willing to donate to such a campaign.

Manage expectations

With VAT on fees potentially being introduced as early as April 2025, there will be an urgency to raise money now. As clearly evidenced in the latest IDPE and Gifted Philanthropy Schools’ Fundraising and Engagement Benchmarking Report, fundraising takes time, to build those all-important relationships that will lead to a positive response.

Do things differently

As we saw during the pandemic, change can be positive – the schools which continued to fundraise during the pandemic raised more than those who paused development. Times of uncertainty offer us an opportunity to think differently. Join us at the IDPE 2024 Annual Conference on Monday 13 and Tuesday 14 May 2024 at the East Midlands Conference Centre, where we will be exploring how we can continue to grow our school ambitions through new approaches to philanthropy and community engagement. Visit idpe.org.uk to find out more. ●

LOUISE BENNETT is Chief Executive of IDPE.

WHEN IS A ‘PRIVATE SCHOOL’ NOT A PRIVATE SCHOOL?

Melvyn Roffe believes it is pride not pedantry which should lead us to insist on being recognised as independent schools committed to the public good.

You can’t blame foreigners for being a bit confused. In more straightforward parts of the world, a public school is a school that is funded by the public where the public can send their children, generally at no cost to themselves. A private school, on the other hand, is a school which is funded privately and is only available to those who can pay.

Political guile

But no one ever claimed that education in the UK is straightforward. A report in 1868 identified the public schools of England as those schools which admitted pupils from beyond their immediate locality and were not run for profit. But few of the places at these schools were free and none of the schools were funded by the public. Indeed, until the Elementary Education Act of 1870, the very idea that schools might be provided out of general taxation was viewed with suspicion. Prime Minister Gladstone and William Forster, whom he deputed to pilot the legislation

through Parliament (and after whom the Act became known), had to expend a good deal of political capital and deploy not a little political guile to establish the first state schools as we would recognise them today.

Pedantry or not?

One hundred and fifty years and many Education Acts later, the naming of schools still isn’t straightforward. In England, most state schools are now more correctly designated as ‘state funded’ because as academies or free schools they are charities which are technically independent and have a contractual, rather than a statutory, relationship with the state.

Meanwhile, the traditional public schools and other fee-paying schools which many

would call ‘private’ protest that they are not private at all, but ‘independent’. Does this nominative pedantry matter? I confess to being one of those people who think it does. And I am definitely one of those people who jibs when someone calls my independent school a ‘private school’. Nor is this, in fact, mere pedantry. The distinction between ‘private’ and ‘independent’ is increasingly contested in the discussion about the role that the independent sector plays in the education of the young people of Britain. It suits a certain point-of-view, often expressed in the media and reflected in the Labour Party’s policy on imposing VAT on independent school fees, to portray schools which are not on the state payroll as irrelevant to the public good. What the

…the caricature of our schools being solely for a ‘gilded elite’, unconnected with the lives of ‘normal people’…

Education benefits society however it is paid for...

rich get up to in the privacy of their own schools is up to them but they shouldn’t expect tax breaks or subsidies for doing it is the view expressed. From this flows the caricature of our schools being solely for a ‘gilded elite’, unconnected with the lives of ‘normal people’ whose children, by definition, attend state-funded schools.

Lack of historical perspective

Unsurprisingly, such a point of view is limited by its ignorance of the sector today as well as by its lack of historical perspective. Amongst the so-called private schools are not only the public schools which were originally defined in the nineteenth century in distinction to schools run by private interests, but also scores of other former Direct Grant schools like mine which – although now independent – were fully functioning parts of the state-funded sector until a previous Labour Government removed their state funding in the 1970s. And in any case, the governors of all independent schools which are charities are under an obligation to ensure that their schools provide public benefit not merely private services. Since 2005 in Scotland, the charities regulator has had the responsibility to test and certify that independent schools are providing public benefit. By definition, they are therefore not private schools.

More fundamentally, you might argue that education is never truly a private matter. Some people may query the proportion of NHS doctors educated by independent schools, but I’ve never heard of anyone turning down life-saving surgery on the basis that the state hadn’t paid for the surgeon’s school education. Education benefits society however it is paid for and there is a powerful argument that parents who pay for their children’s education are adding additional resource to the ‘educational economy’ of an area, unlike the parents who game the admissions system to gain a place at a high-performing state school to which their child would not otherwise be entitled.

Flexibility and funding

Perhaps it is the very concept of independence that jars with some people. We know that the creative industries, like medicine, also seem to be disproportionately populated by those educated in independent schools. But that is not surprising given that independent schools have the flexibility (and, yes, funding) to continue to offer courses that are too often no longer available to children in state schools. Those who criticise the disparity might better target parsimonious state funding, unsympathetic inspection frameworks and perverse performance measures rather than independent schools, particularly where those schools are doing their level best to address open access issues through bursaries and innovative partnership working.

And not infrequently, the independence of our schools brings about change which benefits children in schools of all kinds. I remember being clapped and cheered at a meeting of (mainly state school) English teachers in the 1990s on the basis that the independent sector’s refusal to go along with a particularly nonsensical aspect of the National Curriculum in England had resulted in a change of direction which made everyone happy.

Public virtues

So, I am going to continue to insist that my ‘private’ school is not a private school. If asked, I will say it is a large third sector organisation, an educational charity which is actually held to account for providing public benefit more rigorously than any other kind of charity. Our teachers contribute fully to the profession of teaching and often play leading roles in examination boards and other key education institutions. The young people we educate do not leave school ignorant of others or indifferent to their responsibilities as citizens. They might even have picked up that individual responsibility, personal agency and independence of thought are really important for the health of our society. Because those are amongst the public virtues that independent schools have been championing all these years. ●

MELVYN ROFFE is Principal of George Watson’s College in Edinburgh; he was previously head of two state boarding schools in England.